Arsenal kicked off their Europa League campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Rapid Vienna last week, and they will hope to secure another victory today when Irish side Dundalk visit the Emirates Stadium tonight.
Leicester City handed manager Mikel Arteta’s side a 1-0 loss at the weekend, and a comfortable victory today will help them bounce back and give them much-needed boost ahead of Sunday’s trip to Manchester United.
Arsenal are favourites to top their Europa League group, and Arteta will have the luxury of handing some of the fringe players a chance tonight given the quality of the visitors.
TEAM NEWS
The Gunners only have two fit centre-backs in Shkodran Mustafi and Gabriel Magalhaes, and they will want both to end the game without a knock.
David Luiz sustained a thigh injury against Leicester while Rob Holding is still yet to fully recover from a hamstring injury.
Pablo Mari and Calum Chambers are still out, although the latter is nearing full fitness, while the duo of Sokratis Papastathopoulos and William Saliba are unavailable for selection having been left out of the Europa League squad.
Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli is still suffering from a knee injury – but Willian and Bukayo Saka could be in contention.
The former Chelsea star failed to recover in time to face Leicester at the weekend, and it remains to be seen whether he will feature today despite training with the rest of the squad.
PREDICTED LINE-UP
Runar Alex Runarsson could be given the nod in goal ahead of Bernd Leno, while Cedric Soares and Sead Kolasinac should play at full-back alongside the only fit centre-back duo.
A midfield trio of Mohamed Elneny, Joe Willock and Ainsley Maitland-Niles could be named, with Nicolas Pepe, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson playing up front.
Predicted Arsenal XI
4-3-3
Runarsson
Cedric, Mustafi, Gabriel, Kolasinac
Elneny, Willock, Maitland-Niles
Pepe, Nketiah, Nelson.
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