Predicted Arsenal XI to face Chelsea in FA Cup final

Pepe
Pepe

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will hope to pip his Chelsea counterpart Frank Lampard to the FA Cup trophy this evening as both young tacticians battle for the chance to land their first piece of silverware.

The Gunners will be playing in their 21st final of the competition and are looking to make it 14 FA Cups.

Doing that will see them play in the Europa League next term, and that will help boost their summer transfer coffers.

Arsenal are expected to come up with their strongest starting XI, and Argentine goalie Emiliano Martinez is expected to play in goal despite the fact that Bernd Leno is fit and back in training.

With Shkodran Mustafi injured, Rob Holding could join David Luiz and Kieran Tierney in a back-three, with Bukayo Saka likely to get the nod ahead of Ainsley Maitland-Niles at left wing-back while Hector Bellerin starts on the right.

Dani Ceballos and Granit Xhaka are expected to be the midfield pairing, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang starting out left, while £72 million club-record signing Nicolas Pepe starts on the right.

Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette is expected to be given the nod to lead the line ahead of Eddie Nketiah, and the players will be looking to give their all as missing out on Europe next term will deal a huge blow on them.

Predicted Arsenal starting lineup:

Martinez;

Holding, Luiz, Tierney;

Bellerin, Ceballos, Xhaka, Saka;

Pepe, Lacazette, Aubameyang

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