Arsenal are back in action this evening as they travel to take on West Bromwich Albion in the second round of the Carabao Cup.
The Gunners need a result. Like, really really need a result.
A 2-0 defeat at Brentford on the opening day of the season was followed up by a 2-0 home defeat to London rivals Chelsea.
No goals, no wins, no points. Arsenal are struggling in the Premier League, and a clash with Manchester City this weekend isn’t ideal.
Arsenal desperately need a win tonight, and facing off against Championship side West Bromwich Albion could go either way; a chance to pick up a result and gain confidence, or lose and make the atmosphere around the club even worse.
Mikel Arteta is under pressure and has plenty to think about ahead of tonight’s game, so here is our predicted lineup for the clash at The Hawthorns…
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is on board having joined from Sheffield United last week, and he looks primed to start in place of Bernd Leno tonight.
Rob Holding is the only defender that started against Chelsea to keep his place tonight in our predicted XI.
Summer signing Nuno Tavares is primed for a first competitive start, whilst Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Calum Chambers can make up the right side of defence.
Granit Xhaka may keep his place in midfield to offer some experience; it may be a bit much to throw Miguel Azeez into the side, even if he is very talented.
Mohamed Elneny should come in, whilst new signing Martin Odegaard is able to play as the number 10 having secured his visa.
Arteta has plenty of options out wide, and we’re backing Reiss Nelson and Gabriel Martinelli to get the nod either side of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, returning to the starting lineup.
Azeez, Folarin Balogun and Arthur Okonkwo could be on the bench tonight, alongside the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka and Alexandre Lacazette.
Arsenal predicted starting XI: Ramsdale; Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Holding, Tavares; Elneny, Xhaka; Nelson, Odegaard, Martinelli; Aubameyang.
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