Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has a lot to think about ahead of his side’s clash against Southampton on Wednesday.
The Gunners are desperate for a win in the Premier League but the Saints are a tough team to beat. Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men are 10 points and 11 places ahead of us at the moment. They have started the season incredibly well but we need to get a win tomorrow.
Granit Xhaka will begin his three-match suspension while Hector Bellerin also faces a ban for five yellow cards this season. Thomas Partey is still not back from his injury, while Gabriel Martinelli needs a few more weeks to be back fit.
Arteta has to change something to get back to winning ways. Arsenal legend Martin Keown wants the Gunners boss to revert to a back three against the Saints, (Mail) and it will not be a surprise to see that tomorrow.
Bernd Leno will keep his place, as will Rob Holding and Gabriel Magalhaes. Kieran Tierney will slot in as a left-sided centre-half, with Cedric Soares and Ainsley Maitland-Niles starting as wing-backs.
Mohamed Elneny is expected to keep his place in the side after escaping a red card against Burnley. He will be joined by Dani Ceballos who is the most experienced option available in midfield with Xhaka and Partey both out.
The front-three will be an interesting one. Alexandre Lacazette, who has played as a number 10 in recent games, has come under a lot of criticism. He is expected to make way along with Willian, who has had a shocking season so far.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will continue to lead the line and Bukayo Saka, who has been our brightest player over the last few weeks, will keep his place on the left flank.
The most important change will be the inclusion of Nicolas Pepe. The Ivorian, who joined us in 2019, missed the last three games due to suspension. He deserves a start tomorrow, and a good performance will push him ahead of Willian in the pecking order.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
