Facing Burnley in another Premier League fixture on Saturday, let’s take a look at our Arsenal predicted lineup for the clash.
After finally getting a first Premier League win on the board against Norwich City, Arsenal travel to Turf Moor to face Burnley, who sit two places below the Gunners in the table. It’s another must-win game, particularly with Spurs coming up the following weekend.
Due to the lack of European football this week and a lower-league cup draw next week, there’s no reason why Mikel Arteta shouldn’t name his strongest team against Burnley. Here’s our predicted Arsenal lineup for the fixture.
Goalkeeper
Whether or not you believe the reports that Bernd Leno is going to return to the team when Arsenal face Tottenham Hotspur, all sources appear to be in agreement that Aaron Ramsdale has the goalkeeper spot for now. We expect him to start.
Defence
Arsenal’s back four against Norwich City currently looks like their strongest defence available, with Kieran Tierney at left-back, Gabriel and Ben White in the centre of defence and new signing Takehiro Tomiyasu at right-back.
It would be a surprise to see any changes, particularly after the clean sheet against Norwich. Any squad players looking for minutes have the League Cup game against AFC Wimbledon a few days later.
Midfield
Granit Xhaka is still suspended, Mohamed Elneny is injured, so Thomas Partey, Albert Sambi Lokonga, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are the three likely options for the two deeper midfield positions.
Partey is probably ready for a start now, and Lokonga is the player in better form at the moment, so we’re tipping those two to make the lineup.
Ahead of them, it seems pretty likely Martin Odegaard will continue to start. If Emile Smith Rowe does come back into the starting lineup, it will probably be wide on the left, rather than in the middle.
Forwards
With Arsenal’s only Premier League goal this season, and four in all competitions, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should start up front.
Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe could well keep their places alongside him, but Smith Rowe is an option to replace one of the two, as is Gabriel Martinelli. It’s an interesting call for Arteta. We’re predicting Saka and Pepe starting again.