Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points in Matchweek 8.
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Jack Grealish is playing with more confidence than ever before Aston Villa’s trip to Arsenal on Sunday and his skills will threaten the league's best defence.
The 25-year-old has scored four goals and provided four assists this season, delivering consistent high-level performances.
Dean Smith’s side travel to north London on the back of two successive defeats but their captain is one of the Premier League’s most in-form players.
If Arsenal fail to contain Grealish at Emirates Stadium, he can make it an uncomfortable evening for them.
Most PL goal involvements
| 2020/21 | Total |
|---|---|
| Harry Kane | 14 |
| Son Heung-min | 10 |
| Jack Grealish | 8 |
| Dominic Calvert-Lewin | 8 |
| Jamie Vardy | 8 |
No one outside of the prolific Tottenham Hotspur pair of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min has been directly involved in more goals than Grealish in 2020/21.
He was outstanding in the 7-2 win at home to Liverpool, but his ability with the ball has been evident throughout the opening weeks of the season.
Operating on the left of Villa’s attack, with the support of Ross Barkley on his inside, Grealish is advancing into dangerous areas regularly.
Grealish skill v Leicester
When he travels with the ball at his feet Grealish forces opposing defenders to back off and retreat.
Only Mohamed Salah's 79 touches inside the opposition box exceed the 61 of Grealish, who has played one fewer match.
Grealish was superb in the 4-3 home defeat by Southampton last time out. He won a penalty, scored a clever solo goal and delivered a pinpoint cross to set up Tyrone Mings.
Can Spaniard shackle Grealish?
Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin has been a model of consistency in 2020/21, but Grealish will provide him with a tough examination.
Villa’s chief creator will regularly drift into half-space pockets inside Bellerin, and with the ball at his feet he will run at the full-back.
The brief from Mikel Arteta to Bellerin will be to keep Grealish outside the box and to get tight enough to stop him sending passes into the area.
PL attacking stats
| Open-play chances created | Dribbles completed | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Salah | 17 | Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa | 26 |
| Jack Grealish | 15 | Adama Traore | 23 |
| Kevin De Bruyne | 15 | Allan Saint-Maximin | 22 |
| Jack Harrison | 15 | Jack Grealish | 18 |
Bellerin's defending has markedly improved under Arteta but keeping one of the Premier League’s best dribblers at bay will not be easy. His 1v1 defending will need to be top class on Sunday.
Arsenal will feel confident they can back up an excellent 1-0 win at Old Trafford last weekend with another three points, but they must first stop the most creative player on display in the match.
Also in this series:
Part 1: How Liverpool can get defence back on track at Man City
Part 2: Can Adams step up in absence of Ings?
Part 3: Width can ease burden on Fernandes and Rashford
