Arsenal face Tottenham Hotspur this weekend and Mikel Arteta will be faced with some tough decisions ahead of the game.
The international break is finally over and we can look forward to Premier League action once again.
The first game of the Premier League weekend comes on Saturday as Arsenal host bitter rivals Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium.
Last season’s games ended in 3-1 and 3-0 home wins as the two sides traded victories, and Arsenal will be looking for a statement win here.
Arsenal predicted lineup v Tottenham Hotspur
Barring any late injury or illness problems, Arsenal’s goalkeeper should be Aaron Ramsdale as usual with Matt Turner unlikely to supplant him any time soon.
Arsenal have gone with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes as their centre back pairing so far this season and we’re not expecting that to change today.
Ben White has shifted over to right back and should keep his place having been left out of the England squad.
The big conundrum comes at left back where Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney and Cedric Soares are all injured.
Arteta has been coy so far but we’ll back Zinchenko to make himself available for this game at left back.
Thomas Partey has been batting injury of late but it sounds like he will be available against Tottenham, potentially partnering Granit Xhaka in midfield.
Fabio Vieira has been hailed as ‘special’ by former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell having dazzled with a goal against Brentford before the international break.
Sadly for the Portuguese star, he now faces being dropped for this game as Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is expected to be ready to start.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are Arsenal’s first-choice wide man and Emile Smith Rowe’s injury means they are in little danger of being left out.
That will likely leave Gabriel Jesus up top, who will be pretty fresh having not been on international duty with Brazil.
That would then leave the likes of Turner, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Rob Holding, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Vieira, Marquinhos and Eddie Nketiah on the Arsenal bench.
Predicted Arsenal lineup: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Jesus.
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