Arsenal take on Athletic Club in the Champions League in Bilbao on Tuesday evening.
The Gunners commence their European campaign for the season against the Basque side, hoping to get off to a winning start with more challenging tests against Inter Milan and Bayern Munich ahead.
Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest comfortably on the weekend, and Mikel Arteta may subsequently be tempted to select a similar lineup against the La Liga outfit.
However, he should instead contemplate resting several key players, with Sunday’s huge Premier League showdown against Manchester City in mind.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Athletic Club
Bukayo Saka could return for Arsenal in this game, while William Saliba should also be in contention for the clash in Northern Spain.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Martin Odegaard will be fit after the Norwegian sustained another shoulder injury on the weekend.
Aside from the Gunners’ captain and long-term absentees Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, Arteta should have an entirely fit squad to select from.
David Raya will retain his place in goal, denying Kepa Arrizabalaga an Arsenal debut against his former club, while the back four is an area where there could be some rotation.
Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori are notoriously injury-prone, and thus, Ben White and one of Piero Hincapie or Myles Lewis-Skelly could come in to allow these two players to rest.
Saliba should come back in to ensure that he’s up to speed in time for Sunday’s game against City, and he should partner Gabriel Magalhaes.
In midfield, Ethan Nwaneri impressed against Forest and should be rewarded with a start against Athletic Club if Odegaard isn’t deemed fit.
Declan Rice will likely come back into the side in place of Mikel Merino, while the front three should remain the same.
Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres need to build chemistry in the forward line, and there is no need to rush Bukayo Saka back into the side yet.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Athletic Club: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Zubimendi, Rice, Nwaneri, Madueke, Gyokeres, Eze.
Mikel Arteta needs to trust his squad and rotate more this season
Arteta hasn’t trusted his squad enough in recent seasons, which has seen him overplay certain individuals, ultimately costing the Gunners.
By April, several members of the Spaniard’s ensemble tend to be fatigued and are no longer able to produce at the level required. Now that he has a squad full of depth, this can no longer happen.
Rotation starts with games like Athletic Club away in the League Phase of the Champions League, where players should sit down and be kept fresh for a clash like City on the weekend.
Both full-backs need a rest, having played a lot in recent weeks, while a few players who have been on the periphery need a run-out.
The likes of White, Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri need minutes so that they can contribute more effectively when they’re called upon in high-pressure games.
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