Arsenal are set to take on bottom of the table Sheffield United in tonight’s late evening game, but could do so without up to four players.
David Luiz is confirmed as missing as he is recovering from undergoing a small procedure on his knee. Kieran Tierney is also sidelined for the coming weeks, with hopes that he could return in around a month’s time.
Mikel Arteta could well have a decision to make in the attacking midfield role this evening. Both Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard have to be assessed before their availability can be confirmed.
The Norwegian has been feeling discomfort since returning from international duty, and the manager admitted in his press conference that he is expected to miss this match.
Smith Rowe picked up a sprain to his ankle during Thursday night’s clash, which could lead to one of Willian, Reiss Nelson or Alexandre Lacazette playing in behind the striker.
Predicted XI:
Leno
Chambers Holding Mari Cedric
Partey Xhaka
Saka Lacazette Willian
Aubameyang
I’ve gone out on a bit of whim by opting to play Laca in behind Aubameyang here, but with ESR and Odegaard both appearing as doubts I believe Laca has shown Arteta that he is more than capable of being an asset in the role. The Frenchman has played in the role once this season, against Rapid Vienna, and the manager would always have the option of rotating Willian into the middle and switch Aubz out to the wide-left if it wasn’t working out.
Of course, the ideal line-up would include one of Odegaard or ESR in the number 10 role, but risking them ahead of the Europa League could prove costly.
Who would you most like to see fill in behind the striker if both are confirmed as missing out? Could Nelson maybe get his chance to show his worth?
Patrick
Wish rowe, Tierney, Odregard, luiz were 100% fit 😪
Why would anyone play Willian over Pepe? Why not find a place for Martinelli?
Will Sheffield suddenly become Real madrid this evening or will arsenal play like luton fc? Fingers crossed 🤞
Because Edu and MA illogically gave Willian a contract with playing time!!
No player ever, should be allowed to demand that period
Where is the source to his contract having a playing time element as I find it difficult to believe any club, even one as stupid as ours would agree to that?
Hearing Aubameyang is out with flu.
I would go with
Leno
Chambers Mari Gabriel Saka
Partey Xhaka
Pepe Lacazette Martinelli
Balogun
Ryan, Bellerin, Cedric, Holding, Elneny, Ceballos, Willian, Nelson, Nketiah
Will Sheffield suddenly become Real madrid this evening or will arsenal play like luton fc? Fingers crossed 🤞
Win, draw, lose I can honestly say it doesn’t really matter anymore
We could win 5-0 which would be great but it wouldn’t change the fact that we could easily lose our next 3 games.
Tinkerman Arteta ensured that we could never build momentum. Yes we have injuries now but even when we have a full squad it’s just continuous changes.
Why not use the rest of the season to build up our youth instead of flogging our dead horses that will be gone in a year or two? Play Nelson, play Martinelli, play Balogun, even play Eddie to increase his selling price. Why play Willian??? Cz someone clearly agreed to a deal with guaranteed game time.
OT.. What a beast Saint-Maximin is…
We’re wearing the blue kit… 😫😫😫
We might as well not play in anything…we couldn’t get any more embarrassing than we’ve already been 🤣
😂
I enjoyed the Burnley and Newcastle game. West Ham and Leicester game has just started. I hope I don’t get sucked into watching it. It’s 11pm here, and Arsenal play at 4am in the morning. Which Arsenal is going to turn up???
Think this might be the best prediction weekend for me 9pts already
Apparently Auba has flu.
My team
Ryan.
Bellerin. Chambers. Mari. Cedric.
Chambers. Elneny.
Pepé. Azeeze. Martinelli
Laca or Balogun.
Normally 10th place Arsenal team should be able to beat 20th place Sheff Utd at Bramal Lane in tonight’s Premier League match encounter that will be played between the duo club sides.
But football does a times deviate from this norm to spring a surprise. Man City 1-2 Leeds Utd result in the PL yesterday was a surprise result sprung by Leeds.
And looking at the recent lackluster performances which the Gunners have had in games for Arsenal that culminated to the club failures to beat West Ham and Slavia Prague in their last away and home matches in the PL and ELC, one can’t be faulted if Arsenal fans point of view he or she becomes skeptical and low in confidence to think and believe that the Gunners may not turn up in their Sheff Utd aewy match to beat the Blades and use the win as a precursor to win their ELC quarterfinal 2 leg match away to Slavia Plague. A match which the Gunners in particular know they mus’nt fail to win, but win it absolutely for Arsenal.