Arsenal head to the home arch-rivals Tottenham for a much-awaited clash that is sure to be a real test for this young team, so let’s look at the latest team news.
The Gunners will be disappointed given how they ended up drawing to Brighton and Hove Albion in their last game. A harsh sending off for Declan Rice made things complicated and they were lucky to gain a point.
As for the team news, the suspension of Rice has thrown up a huge problem for Mikel Arteta who will have to rotate his midfield. Things are made even more difficult with the injury enforced absence of Martin Odegaard as that is looking like it could be bit of a serious problem.
There is also some apprehension on the status of Riccardo Calafiori who got injured while playing for Italy. But if there is any good news, it is the return of Gabriel Jesus as the striker has been declared fit and ready to play.
Arteta will be well aware of the kind of threat Spurs possess in transition and the manager will be looking to minimise the chances of that happening. This makes the selection in midfield that much more important.
While the obvious solution is to bring Jorginho, the Italian has a distinct lack of pace which coupled with the reduced athleticism of Thomas Partey could spell danger. There are other options that can be considered such as the inclusion of Alex Zinchenko or Jurrien Timber to play in midfield.
The former in particular is an interesting choice as that is where he plays for his national team very often and even while playing as a left back, it is where he ends up. The Ukraine national adds a little more energy in comparison to his Italian teammate.
Arsenal have had the better of Tottenham in the recent past but that does not mean that this game will be a walk in the park. The hosts are very good at pressing and the lack of Odegaard and Rice will hamper the visitors a lot. If the Gunners can overcome this and still secure a win, it will be huge for their season.
