Arsenal need the win tonight against Liverpool to keep their hopes of qualifying for Europe through their league position, having fallen down to ninth in the table, but will have to do so without a few key players.
Bernd Leno remains sidelined since the lost to Brighton last month, and it still remains to be seen whether we should expect to see him before the season is over (I believe it is unlikely from what I’ve read so far).
Calum Chambers is still ruled out also, although he is expected to return to before Gabriel Martinelli and Pablo Mari, but none of these will be featuring before the new campaign.
Eddie Nketiah will also miss the tie thanks to being suspended, after his four-minute disasterclass against Leicester City, where he came off the bench simply to get sent off, and most likely cost us the three points.
Two more players are also expected to miss out, although whether they are actually available is another subject.
Matteo Guendouzi has been forced to train alone since the Brighton loss, with his character being questioned, while Mesut Ozil is claimed to have some sort of issue with his back, although he’s been overlooked for selection since the Coronavirus pandemic put a halt to the fixture list, long before any mention of injury had come into it.
Predicted XI:
Martinez
Mustafi Luiz Tierney
Soares Xhaka Ceballos Saka
Pepe Lacazette Aubameyang
Kolasinac and Bellerin both struggled against Tottenham, and I firmly expect both to be left out of the starting line-up today, and while Holding is in contention to start, Arteta is known to favour a left-footed player in defence.
Which changes would you make to the above line-up? Does this team have enough to get the three points today?
Patrick
I’d like to see Holding start. Pepe was poor last time out so should be benched
I don’t see Holding being here at the end of the season
bold prediction. ozil wil start
Because he put out a tweet saying he’s ready? Ozil has never been ready in years. He’s a passenger right now.
It all boils down to what Arteta needs but I’ll love to see him start today
Ozil has never played well in big games. He needs clubs of his calibre to play against
He has scored against Liverpool before… he has been training, but I don’t expect to see him start…
According to Ozil, he’s fit – according to Arteta he’s still injured – according to the media he is still refusing to take a pay cut – you take your pick if there is any connection regarding these three… COYG.
According to the The Arsenal website he is still injured so I doubt he will be playing. At least Ozil feels he is now fit and ready to go so he could reappear for the FA Cup as long as he is match ready.
Maybe he is fit to sit in the stands under a red umbrella!
3-2 Arsenal let’s do this 👊🔴⚪
That’s the spirit Kev82!!
Thanks SueP, showing some optimism tonight 😊
I don’t care either way as long as they put a shift in and stop being toothless
On the contrary, would it not be a delusion on the part of Mikel Arteta for him to think that Arsenal hierarchy should patiently first wait for him for the next 4 – 5 seasons to rebuild the Arsenal’s first team squad first to a formidable PL and CL titles winning side force before the club can again win the PL title and also take the CL for the first time? He has talked about of Arsenal should emulate how jurgen Klopp was first allowed to rebuild the Liverpool first team squad for 4 to 5 seasons before the Reds claimed their first PL title in 30 seasons this season. After their having previously won the Club World Cup and period to that they also won the CL last season. But I don’t think the Arsenal hierarchy bosses can afford to give Arteta more than next season’s campaign to qualify the club for the 2021-22 CL through the PL placements or through the club winning the 2021 Europa League Cup. Therefore, Arteta should in my opinion stop his ranting of being first given a 4-5 years grace period before he could perform a jurgen Klopp’s titles winning miracle spree for Arsenal. For sincerely speaking, I can’t see Arsenal hierarchy taking a gamble to give him that length of time. It won’t happen if he’s not winning.