Arsenal take on Crystal Palace in the Premier League tonight and Mikel Arteta has some selection decisions to make.
The Gunners open the Premier League season with a Friday night trip to a London rival, just like last season.
Last term opened with a 2-0 defeat at Brentford and Arsenal need to avoid a repeat performance against Palace.
Arsenal’s last trip to Palace was a nightmare, unravelling with a 3-0 defeat at Selhurst Park back in April.
That was a dismal night for Arteta and co, with Arsenal fans fearing the same happening again tonight.
Arsenal predicted lineup
The Gunners have enjoyed a strong pre-season though and Arteta will be confident of righting last season’s wrongs.
There is a new goalkeeper at Arsenal with Matt Turner arriving from New England Revolution, but Aaron Ramsdale should start in goal.
There are issues at right back with Takehiro Tomiyasu struggling for fitness throughout 2022 really.
Ben White featured there in pre-season and we would expect the same again tonight, which allows William Saliba to start at centre back.
Saliba is back at Arsenal after a loan spell at Marseille and has shown very promising signs in pre-season.
Gabriel Magalhaes would then be the left-sided centre back but Kieran Tierney is out of action through injury.
That means Oleksandr Zinchenko is likely to make his Premier League debut for Arsenal at left back.
Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey were Arsenal’s first-choice midfield pairing last season and should start again tonight.
Martin Odegaard will be the more creative option in midfield with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka on the left and right flanks respectively.
There is no doubting who will lead the line for Arsenal; barring any issues, big summer signing Gabriel Jesus will be starting as Arsenal’s striker after a hat-trick against Sevilla last weekend.
That will leave the likes of Turner, Rob Holding, Cedric Soares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Mohamed Elneny, Nicolas Pepe and Eddie Nketiah on the Arsenal bench.
Arsenal predicted lineup: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Jesus.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
