Arsene Wenger has confirmed the latest team news ahead of Saturday’s clash against Liverpool and there’s some good news as both Mikel Arteta and Jack Wishere are ‘likely’ to return to the squad following long spells on the sidelines. Also, Danny Welbeck has a ‘small chance’ to start the game and Mathieu Debuchy is back in training. However, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is still not fit. Based on the team news, here is my starting eleven for the big game.
Starting from the defence, Laurent Koscielny and new boy Gabriel Paulista seemed to have established an efficient partnership at the centre, and with Spaniards Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin on either side, there seems to be a nice balance in the Arsenal backline. Per Mertesacker, Kieran Gibbs and Callum Chambers are likely to be on the bench, although the former Southampton man has a small chance to get the nod over Bellerin at right-back. Needless to mention, David Ospina will continue in goal.
Now although Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere are both back in the squad, I fully expect Arsene Wenger to continue with Francis Coquelin and Aaron Ramsey, who have formed quite a partnership of their own in central midfield. The duo’s individual styles of play compliment each other perfectly and I feel they are going to get better the more they play with each other. At Number 10, the rejuvenated Mesut Ozil will surely get the nod.
Coming to the forwards, I’d go with Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez and of course, Olivier Giroud. Now although Santi has been a bit wayward at playing on the flanks in the past, he has shown this season that he can adapt well and has formed a good understanding with Ozil through which they keep interchanging positions. Alexis and Giroud are the club’s joint top scorers and I’d expect at least one of them to get on the score sheet.
Arsenal: Ospina; Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Ramsey; Cazorla, Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud.
On paper, this starting eleven surely has the beating of Liverpool at the Emirates and I believe that the boys will get the job done on Saturday and effectively end the Reds’ hopes of securing Champions League football for next season.
Anurag
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