Arsenal host Atletico Madrid at the Emirates in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Gunners are riding high at the top of the Premier League table, while Mikel Arteta’s team have also secured maximum points from their two European fixtures thus far.
Arteta’s side cruised past Olympiacos in their last Champions League encounter and will be hoping for a similarly serene victory against Diego Simeone’s side this week.
Coming through the Fulham clash on the weekend injury-free, the Spanish manager should have the majority of his squad to select from on Tuesday.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Atletico Madrid
Arsenal will once again be without Martin Odegaard, who isn’t expected to return to action until after the November international break.
However, aside from long-term absentees Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, everyone else should be fit.
Jurrien Timber, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are shoo-ins for such a big clash against major European opposition, although there is a debate to be had at left-back.
Piero Hincapie should be available to feature, although the Ecuadorian has hardly played this season and rushing him back in for a game of such magnitude would be risky.
However, Riccardo Calafiori needs to be carefully managed with his injury history, and thus, this may be a game for Myles Lewis-Skelly to start.
In midfield, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Arteta lean on Mikel Merino after Eberechi Eze struggled against Fulham, although the tactician should still pick the latter. He needs a creative outlet in the middle of the park, particularly against a resilient Atletico side.
As for the front three, there is scope for a change. Viktor Gyokeres was poor at Craven Cottage, although Arteta needs to play him through this rough patch.
However, on the left, Leandro Trossard was quietly awful against Fulham and should be dropped for Gabriel Martinelli.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Atletico Madrid: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Zubimendi, Rice, Eze, Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid is not going to excite the neutral
Atletico Madrid have developed a reputation for being a functional, yet not very exciting, side in the last ten years under Simeone.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have recently been labelled ‘boring’, and thus, this match isn’t likely to be a classic.
The La Liga giants will likely happily cede possession, while Arsenal will use the ball extremely conservatively for 90 minutes.
This most likely won’t make for enticing viewing, and the game is probably going to be decided by a single goal. For those viewers hoping for a pleasant Tuesday night Champions League affair, they’re going to be bitterly disappointed.
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