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Unai Emery says Denis Suarez could make Arsenal debut vs Manchester City

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Unai Emery has backed Denis Suarez to settle quickly at Arsenal due to his prior experience of playing in England with Manchester City

Unai Emery is considering giving a debut to Denis Suarez when Arsenal face Manchester City on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.

The 25-year-old trained with his new team-mates for the first time on Friday after joining on loan from Barcelona until the end of the season.

Suarez spent two seasons with Manchester City before moving to Barcelona in 2013 and Emery says his experience of living in England will help him settle in quickly at the Emirates.

Arsenal's new loan signing Denis Suarez during a training session at London Colney
Image: Denis Suarez took a full part in Arsenal training on Friday

"If he starts [on Sunday] I have confidence in him," said Emery.

"He has adapted very quickly and his qualities can help us but also his ambition, he wants to do something important here. It is a good challenge for him and for us.

"The first thing is the language and he can speak English. Secondly he played for Manchester City's youth teams. He has then experienced playing in Spain with us in Sevilla, and he played in a Europa League semi-final with Villarreal against Liverpool.

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"He did not play for Barcelona's first team a lot of times but he helped there and played in the Champions League.

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"It is easy for him to adapt to playing for us."

When asked what Suarez's best position is, Emery replied: "He can play on the right or left, or inside like a number 10. I am going to use him in all the positions in the attacking third."

Emery dismissed suggestions that Suarez's arrival signalled the end of Mesut Ozil's Arsenal career, however.

"No change," said Emery. "Suarez is coming here because we have a lot of problems with wingers."

Suarez was Arsenal's sole signing in the January transfer window and Emery revealed the club had hoped to bring in three new players.

"The club did all we could," he said.

"We spoke about the possibility of bringing in three players but only if they can come here with our conditions, if we think they can help us produce a good performance and are better than the players already here.

"Suarez only came but we are happy and the club is working very well."

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