Unless Arsene Wenger has a brain freeze or Santi Cazorla joins the Arsenal injury list, the Spaniard will be directing proceedings for the Gunners against Manchester United today from his now customary role in the centre of midfield.
And while I would not say that he has been poor at it this season, because the stats tell you that he is passing and creating chances more often than any other player in the Premier League, the little magician has not had quite the same influence for us.
Perhaps that is because the players around him have not been on top form and Cazorla can only do so much. I´m sure that he will start scoring and providing more assists and that is not the area of his game that really concerns me. What I want to see from Santi is some more bite. And if I was Wenger I would be demanding it of him, especially with the option of the tenacious Aaron Ramsey for the role.
Central midfield is a key position and you have to have some defensive bite to go with the play making. I know that Cazorla is not seen that way by most people but he can do it. Remember our away win at Man City last season? Yes Francis Coquelin did a great job and made a name for himself in that game but Cazorla was right there with him, breaking up play and never giving the likes of Silva and Toure a second on the ball.
If he does that again today then Arsenal will beat Man United. If he doesn´t….who knows?