Granit Xhaka has returned to training today ahead of Arsenal’s crucial tie against Manchester United.
The midfielder was expected to miss the encounter following a kicking from Tottenham Hotspur in last weekend’s 2-0 loss at White Hart Lane, but may well be returning early enough to feature against the Red Devils.
United are expected to make changes in order to prioritise the Europa League semi-final, which has sandwiched this sunday’s Premier League encounter, but we have no such distractions, and will be keen to field our best possible XI.
Granit Xhaka has been a first-team player since our recent switch to the newly-fashionable 3-4-2-1 formation, and his name would be a welcome one on the teamsheet as we look to continue our strong run within the new system.
His absence would likely have seen either Francis Coquelin come back into the side, or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain find himself switched centrally with Hector Bellerin returning to the side, but should Xhaka prove his fitness, the Ox would likely retain his wing-back position.
Arsene Wenger recently insisted that the Chamberlain would be making a return to a central midfield role in the future, while claiming Bellerin’s absence from the starting line-up is because he had struggled to get back to 100% following an injury earlier in the season, and may well be protecting him.
Shkodran Mustafi is also expected to return to the starting line-up against United, having missed recent weeks through injury, and he will likely take Monreal’s position at centre-back, which may see Gibbs lose his starting place.
Does Monreal deserve to keep his role at CB? Is Gibbs favoured as wing-back to his rival? Is the Ox staking a long-term claim as a right wing-back?
Pat J
Is Wenger really a spurs fan?
Good luck to Xhaka and friends
? Would we prefer bad luck to Xhaka? That’s so wrong 🙂 Not sure why the thumbs down.
LoL……what a click bait Article title?
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To think that this returning star was one extraordinary genius and a key man on the pitch say Cazorla…..Nope, it turned out to be Xhaka
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I’m just giving him the benefit of the doubt for a season or two (since he’s still getting used to the team) otherwise he’s a walking timebomb, Mr Red card.. whose once-good foot have been completely Ruined by Wenger
Arsenal Boosted?…… I Have to Laugh…
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Who thinks Fueling a car helps it run Faster?
Cars performance is due to its nature of Engine
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Arsenal is Like a fully fueled car Lacking a dynamic Engine [it doesn’t matter how many players return from injury, but how active/performance driven they are]
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Sadly, we are a stale club from Top to Bottom!
3-4-3, Bellerin RWB,ox in the middle with Elneny or xhaka. I don’t want to see Ramsey anywhere near the teamsheet. Iwobi instead of Ozil, Welbeck on the lefr and Sanchez up front.
They should have kicked him a bit harder!
Breaking ??
Wenger won’t retire until he beats Mo in the premier league ?? I guess that’s us forked then.
Worse Case scenario…
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Wenger beats Mo and sees it as a motivation to sign d ting….
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Doom Eitherwayz
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It will take a Lot more potent magic forged in a dragon’s dungeon to finally ship this man back home to france!
“For the long term good of our Club, our intention is to hold another protest march, before the Manchester United match this Sunday. We will gather outside the old East Stand at Highbury from 3pm, leaving at 3.15pm and walking together to the new stadium. Against Man City there were 1,000 people on the march. This time we expect more so please join us and make your voice heard. There’s no point whinging online; no point moaning to your mates; no point in staying silent.”
Do us proud Dear London fans
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Stand up for our rights…. Pls for all our sakes!
The whole fan base has to unite. I think emirates fans (a good percentage of them ) are not arsenal fans. They just cme to enjoy the thrill of a soccer game. I think the guys holding the protest should target the fans. We are loads and loads and even if they can’t afford to watch most games at Emirates this fans will die for there club. Lets hve a march with more than 20000 fans. Lets save our club!! Coyg
This is what I love about Arsenal. One moment Xhaka has a lot to prove the next moment he is a first team “star”. In my mind the only first team star we have is Sanchez.
whatever happens, don’t play Gibbs and Monreal on the left. play one or the other but when we play them both we become useless going forward. As good as Ox is as a right wingback going forward we don’t really have a very good left wingback going forward. I think Monreal might be the best we have to offer and defensively he is sound as far as wingbacks go.