After giving Him some difficult test in training, I’m so happy He passed all of them by beating Saliba and Gabriel to score David Raya double Hattrick yesterday in training, therefore my coaching crew and I have finally decided to use Him as our striker against Leicester Today”, Mikel Arteta have finally make bold decision to use recently promoted Academy striker against Leicester due to what happened in training session yesterday
After giving Him some difficult test in training, I’m so happy He passed all of them by beating Saliba and Gabriel to score David Raya double Hattrick yesterday in training, therefore my coaching crew and I have finally decided to use Him as our striker against Leicester Today”, Mikel Arteta have finally make bold decision to use recently promoted Academy striker against Leicester due to what happened in training session yesterday
Arsenal visit the King Power Stadium to face Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
The Gunners sit second in the English top flight, seven points behind league leaders Liverpool, who conceded a last minute equaliser away at Everton in midweek.
Despite the Merseysiders dropping points, the gap remains significant, and thus Mikel Arteta’s team cannot afford to slip up in the East Midlands this weekend.
Arsenal thrashed Manchester City in their last league match, and should be well rested ahead of the clash with the Foxes, having had a week’s break in Dubai.
Arteta revealed that Ben White could be fit for the game against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side, while Bukayo Saka is still several weeks away from a return.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Leicester
Arsenal will be without Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli for the trip to the East Midlands, with the pair of attackers both sustaining hamstring injuries over the break.
Martinelli will be out for a month, while Havertz’ season is over, with the German’s setback requiring surgery.
Despite the threadbare nature of the Gunners’ offensive cohort, they are stacked with options in other departments.
David Raya will start in goal again, while Jurrien Timber, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes pick themselves in the back four.
While White could feature in some capacity, Timber is likely to retain his place at right-back from the start.
Meanwhile, Myles Lewis-Skelly will probably get the edge over Riccardo Calafiori at left-back, with the teenager looking to pick up from where he left off before the break.
In midfield, Arteta will most likely resort to his most trusted trio, with Thomas Partey sitting behind the pair of eights in Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
As for the front three, Arsenal don’t really have any choice.
Ethan Nwaneri will start on the right, with Leandro Trossard down the middle and Raheem Sterling on the left completing this new-look forward-line.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Leicester: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling.
Mikel Merino should be considered as a striker off the bench against Leicester
While Rice and Partey’s impressive form essentially means Mikel Merino has little chance of starting in Arsenal’s midfield at the moment, the Spaniard could capitalise on the team’s lack of forward depth.
In Havertz’ absence, the Euro 2024 winner could become a makeshift target man for the Gunners, deployed in certain games or to close matches out.
Paul Merson doesn’t want Merino up front, but there are elements of the idea that make sense.
In terms of providing an aerial threat and leading the press, Merino is the most similar to Havertz, and thus should be used in certain game states as a striker.
Against Leicester, if Arsenal are chasing a goal, then the midfielder should be called upon up front if Trossard isn’t providing the focal point Arteta’s side requires.
