After a forgettable 3-0 away defeat against Crystal Palace last Monday, Arsenal will be looking to atone for their errors in another away fixture – against Steve Agnew’s inconsistent Middlesbrough side.
Boro are yet to register a Premier League win in 2017 and Aitor Karanka’s dismissal last month could foreshadow a swift return to Championship football for the Teeside club. You can get the truth about the best odds available for this match and others at sites like critical-reviews.com.
Press conference
Arsène Wenger gave team updates in his pre-match presser ahead of an intriguing away clash on TV this evening.
He confirmed that Laurent Koscielny would be joining in training on Friday, whilst first-choice goalkeeper Petr Cech also had a chance to return after sustaining a hamstring injury against West Brom.
“If their tests are positive, they will come back into the squad for Monday’s game.”
However, he also revealed that Lucas Perez (thigh) and David Ospina (back) both remain sidelined. When questioned about the chances of both Cech and Koscielny making a return to the starting eleven he said, “Eighty percent. At the moment it’s pretty good, but sometimes the 20 percent can play a villain’s part in the final preparation.”
Team news
It’d be a genuine surprise given such a poor collective display that Wenger didn’t opt to make at least a few changes. I personally felt Granit Xhaka was Arsenal’s best player at Selhurst Park but naturally scapegoated for the team’s shortcomings, as usual.
His individual match statistics from last week’s defeat (per WhoScored):
– Four key passes, 87.9% pass accuracy, 131 touches
– Four completed tackles, two clearances and blocked shots, no fouls
It’s likely that either him or Mohamed Elneny will drop to the substitutes’ bench with Francis Coquelin patiently waiting for his opportunity to return. Aaron Ramsey hasn’t shown enough currently to justify a starting berth, but would be an understandable choice over the Frenchman.
If 100% fit, Koscielny will return in the centre of defence. He is Arsenal’s best defender and a big miss, but it’s important not to rush him back given the level of troublesome injuries he has sustained in recent seasons.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain must start. Recent reports suggest Liverpool are interested and if Arsenal are to keep hold of him, Wenger needs to stop utilising him as a player off the substitutes’ bench.
Alexis Sánchez should start up-top, give Danny Welbeck a much-needed rest. The rest of the team picks itself, given a lack of real depth in other areas.
Possible XI (4-2-3-1): Cech; Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Xhaka, Coquelin; Ox, Walcott, Özil; Alexis.
The opposition
As previously mentioned, Boro are in a much worse situation than the one surrounding Arsenal currently. Goalless draws against both Burnley and Swansea in recent weeks highlight their failure to convert goalscoring opportunities – what better way to banish them by dismantling an unpredictable Arsenal side to everyone’s surprise?
Álvaro Negredo’s goal during a 4-2 defeat at Hull was his seventh of the campaign, but the first from open play since November. He’s the club’s top goalscorer, which highlights just how few goals they’ve netted with consistency this term.
As for injury news, George Friend (calf), Fabio (concussion) and Gaston Ramirez (ankle) are all selection doubts but could feature at some stage. Calum Chambers (foot) is recovering well but would’ve been ineligible to play due to new Premier League regulations.
With all of that in mind, here’s a possible XI that Agnew will start today (3-5-2): Valdés; Ayala, Espinosa, Gibson; Barragán, Clayton, Leadbitter, Forshaw, Downing; Negredo, Stuani.