Mikel Arteta to make nine Arsenal changes vs Sporting CP as £38m star returns
Arsenal bowed out of the FA Cup after a 2-1 quarter-final defeat to Southampton on Saturday.
Manager Mikel Arteta played a heavily-rotated XI against the Saints, and paid the price with a surprise loss at St Mary’s. The Gunners were particularly poor defensively.
Arsenal now face Sporting CP in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final in Lisbon tomorrow. Ahead of the game, Arteta could make as many as nine changes.
Goalkeeper switch
Kepa Arrizabalaga has been the Gunners’ undisputed choice in goal for the Carabao and FA Cup matches. He made a high-profile error during the League Cup final last month, but Arteta continued with him between the sticks against the Saints.
Arrizabalaga was not to blame for any of the goals conceded on the South Coast, but the Spaniard is expected to be replaced by regular Premier League and Champions League goalkeeper David Raya.
Three changes in defence
Jurrien Timber has been back in training recently after his groin injury, but was rested against Southampton. Ben White, who continued at right-back, made a defensive error that contributed to the Saints opening the scoring. Timber, signed by the Gunners for £38 million, should be reinstated on the right side of the four-man backline.
William Saliba is a nailed-on starter in the heart of the defence, but may have a new centre-back partner with Gabriel Magalhaes picking up a knee injury. We have predicted Riccardo Calafiori to accompany him, being naturally left-footed. Cristhian Mosquera should drop to the bench. Myles Lewis-Skelly is poised to continue at left-back with Piero Hincapie nursing a hamstring issue.
Midfield regulars return
Arteta went with Christian Norgaard as the lone defensive midfielder on Saturday, with Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz operating higher up the field. Norgaard had his struggles, particularly with the lack of sufficient defensive cover.
The manager should go with a more familiar set-up, which means Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice will return in the centre of the park. Havertz provided an assist for Viktor Gyokeres’ equaliser, but he was hardly in the game until then.
Odegaard was a good creative outlet on his return to first-team action for the Gunners after a knee injury. The Norwegian came close to scoring a couple of times and also impressed with his link-up play with Max Dowman on the right flank. He should start as the attacking midfielder. Eberechi Eze is on the sidelines with a calf injury.
Priority attack
Max Dowman was fantastic on the right wing for the Gunners on Saturday to start with. The 16-year-old slotted into the number 10 position after Noni Madueke’s introduction for Odegaard. Despite this, the youngster could be restricted to a bench role as his workload needs to be managed at his age.
Bukayo Saka should make his return on the right wing, while Leandro Trossard is poised to replace Gabriel Martinelli on the opposite flank. Gyokeres has been in superb scoring form lately and showed exactly why with an early goal coming off the bench last weekend. The Swede should be a nailed-on starter upfront ahead of Gabriel Jesus, who has been underwhelming with his performances in the last few months.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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