Arsenal travel to their neighbours on Sunday for the toughest match in the remaining games as Tottenham wait to derail their title challenge, so let’s take a look at the predicted lineup.
The Gunners produced a commanding display at the weekend as they got the better of their London rivals Chelsea. What could have been a potential banana skin turned out to be one of the more comfortable matches the Emirates has seen this season.
David Raya will stay in goal, and he has more or less sealed the Golden Glove which is a great achievement in his first season. Against a strong Spurs side, he will have a lot more to do and the Spaniard would want to add another clean sheet to his name.
In defence, we will likely see Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu start as the full-backs. The Japanese international would be needed as Dejan Kulusevski is a huge threat for the hosts. William Saliba and Gabriel start as the centre backs and the threat of Heung-min Son looms large as the Korean has a habit of doing well against the north Londoners.
Thomas Partey and Declan Rice played for the first time in a long time and it is almost certain that Arteta would want to continue with that combination. This also allowed Martin Odegaard to play with a lot of freedom which was evident in the captain’s performance.
Gabriel Martinelli started on the bench but should be back starting which will be harsh on Leandro Trossard but the Brazilian adds more dynamism to the front line. Bukayo Saka on the right would be keen on continuing his great record against Spurs.
Arteta would have to decide between Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. The manager is likely to favour the German as his overall game adds more impetus to how the Gunners play.
Arsenal have an absolute juggernaut chasing them in the form of Manchester City. Also, with Tottenham wanting to do their best to derail their rivals from winning the league, Arteta would be justified in feeling a little nervous. The visitors can get the win and need to trust in their ability to do so.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup Against Tottenham (4-3-3):
David Raya, Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz
