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Official: Confirmed Arsenal XI to take on Leicester City this afternoon

Arsenal will take on Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium in today’s 3PM kick-off as they look to make it two wins from two in the Premier League.

The Gunners opened their account with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend, and we now get to play in front of our home crowd for the first time this term.

The biggest take-out from that victory was William Saliba’s impressive performance at the back, with the pundits from far and wide coming out with praise for him, but it remained to be seen whether he would get the nod to continue at the back with both Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu in contention to start, with either able to play in a back four or five.

Both Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira returned to training with the squad this week also and were also in contention, but there is no longer any question marks with the teamsheet finally being made official as seen below.

I would have been thoroughly disappointed had Saliba not got the nod to continue after such a fine performance eight days ago, and had expected an unnamed starting XI as stated in my prediction earlier on today.

Naturally I’m happy with the named line-up, although I want to see more from our side’s level of performance, but at the same time I would happily take a 2-0 win on the back of a painful watch…

What are your predictions for today’s clash after seeing the teamsheet?

Patrick

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142 Comments

  1. Don’t think anyone will be surprised or complain about the 11. Let’s get the job done. Start strong, get the crowd going and get the win. For me a comfortable 2-3 goal win is the expected result here. Beat that it’s a statement, grind out a win somehow it’s job done and worse would be a disappointment.

    Really excited today to see the attack against a side that is not so defensively set up and as solid as Palace. Also very much looking forward to hearing what I expect to be a raucous crows, wish I was there!

      2. Leicester conceded 59 to Palace’s 46 last year despite finishing higher so not sure where you got that idea from. Couple that with Palace’s superb home form and Leicester’s terrible away from it’s a no contest. There is only 1 team in the league this year that Leicester beat away last year.

  3. Hoping fora strong confident display. Our midfield will need to be at its best and not give bad balls away. Lets get the W.

  4. Rodgers started the games defensively against us last season, so I expect Leicester to sit back and wait for counter-attacks. I bet we can score at least two goals

  10. How long has it been since we’ve seen such a strong line-up AND bench?! Excited to see how this squad does this season.

    1. Great point! The rotation options are rapidly becoming should they start or not rather than hope they don’t play.

  11. Can’t believe we haven’t bought a proper midfielder to complement partey .. the gap is obvious with the Swiss clown there

  13. Great skill from Xhaka there eventually leads to Martinelli giving Fofana a yellow tough game for Fofana now.

  15. Superb goal from jesus also interesting to see those runs from behind by xhaka. We are playing a normal pace to avoid an energy drop like vs crystal palace.

    1. Great game, like the little combo we are having all over and finally I am beginning to see Arsenal DNA in our play. Keep it going and thumbs up to Arteta as well for this display of attractive football.

  16. Like Saka, Martinelli hasn’t even finished developing as youngster never mind peaking! Good times to be an Arsenal fan.

  17. Ref gave a foul for Ode’s late tackle after Leicester then lost the ball yet let Leicester get away with 2 late tackles when we had no advantage.

    2. Im thinking the exact same , ref has favored Leicester in my view so far as they should’ve had at least 1 more yellow and some of the fouls he’s given them , he’s let go when it’s our player slightly shoved.

  18. I wonder if any of the Xhaka haters can at least concur that the guy is doing really well in THIS game

    1. Saw someone the other day unprompted admit he played well 1st game but still went in to a rant about how he will cost us. For real.

      1. That was me Angus and it wasn’t a rant it was my view ,grow up .
        Why didn’t you just enjoy the game we dont need you to hijack another thread with 100 posts
        And Xhaka nearly cost us in the first 5 mins if it wasn’t for a poor Finish from fofana

        1. Suggest you do mate tbh, you hound every comment and then plead victim. Still banging the Xhaka drum. Credit where credit is due Xhaka has started the season well.

          1. What !
            Don’t you talk some crap .
            I’ve commented once on this thread you have posted 18 comments out of 49 so far ,have you even had time to watch the match .

            1. We are winning impressively and your only comments is to have a go at either me or xhaka or both at the same time. I don’t need to argue, everyone looking can draw the conclusion.

              Cant be there so I’m streaming, when something happens I tab to just Arsenal. My current situation in life means I can’t go be in the pubs around the ground instead. Think it’s telling that when we play well you comment less, when we play well I comment more. Diffferent strokes.

              1. I comment just the same if we win or lose
                But that’s just me .
                And the reason I commented was why ?
                Because you had a little dig at me ,so OFC I’m going to respond .
                Now good day I’ve got a second half to watch .

      2. I agree with that sentiment – we can acknowledge good performances while still believing he’s a net negative for the team. Pjsa summed it up really well earlier – very good when the pressure is low, average when it’s a bit higher and dreadful when the pressure is high. He has cost us before and will again

        1. Made a point of staying away from your negative comments pre-match and focusing on writing my own comments. This is your only comment during match. Revealing.

          1. What negative comments pre match
            I only commented because you had a dig about my Xhaka post for some childish reason .
            I’ve commented at half time which I always do and I will at the end .

            1. From Davi who i replied to, the game is going so I won’t quote until after but it wont be difficult then.

              1. Load up a pc and Look at the comments, know mobiles are awkward so from now on I will @ people as others do

  24. I have to admit that I was underwhelmed when we signed Jesus,but as long as he keeps proving me wrong, I’ll be happy to eat some humble pie. 👍👏🥳

    1. Fair play, there were always question marks over how Jesus would do as a main 9 with goals and pressure but his quality was never in doubt.

    2. Jesus is known to be a little wasteful in front of goal e.g the one on one miss and people wanted a deadly striker so its normal they were a liitle disappointed. But he creates a lot of chances for both himself and his team mates for his play which more than compensate for his wastefulness.

      1. I saw stats after last game..
        He had 0 fouls in against Palace
        And today it was his 1st
        He is like Rio Ferdinand who didn’t receive single yellow card for 8 years

    3. To be fair Saliba made 1 tackles against Palace and that was the only time anyone tried to take him on. Looks great and the fact like VVD people are scared to take him on is a positive, no doubt

    1. Because there was a slight contact even though not enough for a penalty, so not considered as a dive as such(I think).

  33. Great game, like the little combo we are having all over and finally I am beginning to see Arsenal DNA in our play. Keep it going and thumbs up to Arteta as well for this display of attractive football.

  35. Shout out to Vardy for the assist on Jesus second goal. F8epass to the back post 😂😂😂.

  36. What a game martinlle is having…dribbling, going past players, runs in behind, good linkup and those deliveries from right. Can not ask more from any player. Top performance and scary for rest of the league teams.

  37. Martinelli making Fofana look like a 5 million pound player and best Arsenal player in the first half ,Saliba once again apart from that Xhaka cock up at the start looks so composed on the ball and his reading of the game second to none .
    Great first half in very difficult conditions.
    Nice to see Jesus gets his hat-trick now .

  38. Excellent display we just need to be careful bombing foward not forgetting Vardy is a fox 🦊

  39. We should target Leicester weakness on set pieces.they do not seem to have found a solution,it was the same last season.i wouldn’t mind a 2nd yellow for Fofana.

  40. I predicted two goals in the first half for Jesus, done. Second half a Saka gem, and Jesus hat trick with two assists by Martin. Last of the goals by MO with a saka assist. This is nothing to do with my fantasy football team score

  45. It’s poor. Saliba is young and will only get better and we are still in control. Bit of luck for Leicester

  49. I really think we should be doing our sub in the 65-70 min to maximise the use of 5 subs rule. Pep and arteta love their late subs too much.

  50. Bench him now he’s useless ! Oh it’s not White or Xhaka or anyone else it’s Saliba, so it’s ok 😂

    1. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Same as I have issue with certain folks that are anti-arteta purely based on their anger of how Wenger was treated same applies to Saliba. He might of been sainted by negative voices but he deserves respect and support otherwise. He didn’t ask to be drawn into that battle, they just put him there.

  53. This is a bloody show of character, thats twice we hit them immediately from the restart.

    Never once letting the tension fill the stadium and we know very well what happens when this happens.

      1. This feels much better to me than a 4-0 easy win. Saliba never faltered after his mistake neither did the team after conceding those goals.

        I would love to have ramsdale confidence, the man never seems to doubt himself or hesitate no matter if he completely fluffs a pass or concede a weak goal.

        1. In many ways I agree, both goals conceded were moments we could of suffered and didn’t. Saliba’s was a bit of freak, it’s poor but unlucky at the same time. Reality is we could of won by more. Great performance.

    1. I don’t think defence was that bad…
      OG of Saliba was unfortunate and Ramsdale should have done much better for 2nd goal

    2. It would have been more worrying for ne if Saliba did not reach the ball then him heading into goal. He was just unlucky but it was good he was there to intercept.

  55. 1.45 to peg them back the first time and 1.42 the second. That’s some real character shown by the team!

  56. Last week and today also what we can see is that our reliance on Saka has reduced which is very good thing

    1. I would dont judge him on single game and in a poor team like Leicester (at the moment). Fir your defence to be good u need quality all over the park specially in forward areas. If you keep letting players run at your defenders…no matter how good they are they will struggle.

  60. The score line kinda remind me of the 6-3 game between City and Leicester at Ethiad. They are really a plucky side. I’ll take the 3 points. Glad to see our first-choice full backs are back into the starting 11.

  62. 3 points,4 goals scored,it could have easily been more.yes we conceded 2 goals but they were 2 individual, unfortunate errors,not a true reflection of our defense.similar to last week,i will not criticise any players today, overall a good team performance and showed characters,resilience, coolness,what more can you ask for?COYG!!👏🥳

  63. Martinelli my man if the match. Artera needs to make more substitution specially during mid day matches. We do possess some talent on the bench now who are also regulars.

    1. I would usually agree but don’t forget that KT and Tomi are just back,also taking Jesus off with only one goal cushion, would have been risky.

  65. Enjoyed that game, proud of the boys and Arteta. Hope it continues in same fashion. We should aim for title to finish in top 3. If we aim at 4th we will struggle to make it top 4. Aim high , we have quality and experience in team to be I top 3.

  66. Last season upturned.
    Two games and two wins.
    Six goals thriller – five scored by Arsenal though.

    We move!

  67. Arsenal really impress me this afternoon even today wasn’t the day for saka to net . I appreciate the team spirit work , now our singin is really working for us. Jesus martinelli xhaka and also saliva well done boy.
    4-2

  69. If its the same sue she got involved in my discussions with dan after 1st game. Don’t blame her for going away, harsh environment if you want to comment regularly.

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