Arsenal’s midfield is creaking on home straight due to recruitment failing – and could prove fatal to trophy hopes

Such was the technical skill and tactical mastery that Martín Zubimendi displayed in his first few months in English football that Mikel Arteta went as far as describing him as Arsenal’s “best player”. That comment was in October, after a narrow victory over Crystal Palace in which Arsenal’s opponents had attempted to man-mark the midfielder out of the game.