Samir Nasri Will Be Key to Arsenal Winning at Old Trafford in Fabregas' Absence

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Cesc Fabregas is out of the FA Cup tie at Old Trafford on Saturday. Whilst also confirming he will play a strong side, how should the team line up?

It is vitally important for any success Arsenal hope to have in this game that Samir Nasri play in a central role. The stats are there to prove how effective Nasri can be in that role in the absence of Fabregas.

He has scored four in four and then five in five during separate injury spells to the Gunners’ captain.

It is also no surprise that Nasri’s spark has faded somewhat in the past two months, as he has been pushed out wide to the flanks. There’s always going to be an argument for that, as Wenger has found a winning formula and found a way to accommodate both Nasri and Fabregas into the first team, as well as the emerging Jack Wilshere.

But where Wenger has failed in recent weeks was to insist on players such as Tomas Rosicky or Abou Diaby in the Cesc role. The team’s creativity has waned and the scoring threat from midfield has become almost nonexistent.

The Arsenal manager knows he must go to Manchester United to win to get his team back to winning ways in preparation for next weeks Premiership tie. Arsene Wenger must go with Nasri in the centre of midfield.

The availability of Robin van Persie will also come as a boost to the team, as well as the return of Aaron Ramsey. But this is a team that needs to be built around Nasri, the best playmaker Arsenal have outside of Fabregas.

If Wenger can find a way to bring back Nasri’s early goal-scoring form, and that from a central position, then I have every confidence Arsenal can win at Old Trafford.