Arsenal may have put in a convincing display against AC Milan on Thursday but will a tired team return to their shambolic worst against Watford?
Arsene Wenger has a big choice to make on Sunday. He either rotates and saves his strongest starting XI for the second leg of Arsenal’s Europa League clash against AC Milan, or he recognises that every Premier League match is a must-win now and fields the same side.
It’s a tough choice to make but it’s all part of being a football manager.
Monreal is still out for the match against Watford, as is Bellerin, and Kolasinac is a doubt.
Obviously, Alexandre Lacazette is still sidelined after undergoing knee surgery last month.
How will the team line-up on Sunday?
Defence
Arsenal are still without Nacho Monreal, although the left-back should be fit for the AC Milan clash at Ashburton Grove next Thursday.
Hector Bellerin missed out on the Europa League trip to the San Siro with an ongoing ankle issue and Wenger has revealed that the 22-year-old will also miss out against Watford.
Calum Chambers, who did a fine job against the Italian giants, had to get taken off in the 85th minute. However, Wenger has explained that this was purely because he had cramp since he was playing in a positive he wasn’t used to – right-back.
I imagine we’ll see him start again this weekend.
Sead Kolasinac appeared to suffer an ankle injury against Milan so we could see Ainsley Maitland-Niles get his first start since the Östersunds FK defeat.
“Sead Kolasinac has an ankle problem, but we don’t rule him out for Sunday yet,” Wenger told Arsenal.com. “Calum Chambers had cramps, because he played in a position which he is not used to for a centre back. He should be OK though.”
Although Rob Holding could get the nod at centre-back, I imagine Wenger will stick with Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny.