Arsenal are preparing for their first Champions League match since 2017 as PSV visit the Emirates. Mikel Arteta has several selection dilemmas to consider ahead of the tie. The boss will be forced into one change from the 1-0 victory over Everton on Sunday because Gabriel Martinelli is missing through a hamstring injury. Express Sport has taken a closer look at the three areas Arteta will be deep in thought over…
Goalkeeper dilemma
David Raya was thrown in for his Arsenal debut at Goodison Park as he kept a clean sheet and looked at ease, with Everton rarely threatening his goal. However, whether Arteta will bring Aaron Ramsdale back in between the posts remains to be seen. The boss has been clear that rotation could happen and there is no clear number one at Arsenal. Arteta insists he treats the role the same as any other position.
“It’s the same rationale as to why Fabio (Vieira) and Gabby [Jesus] played,” Arteta said when asked about Raya replacing Ramsdale. “I haven’t had a single question about why Gabriel hasn’t been starting. He has won more trophies than anybody else in that dressing room, including me.
“I want Aaron to react the same as Gabriel Jesus. The same as Kai Havertz, as Takehiro Tomiyasu. Exactly the same. We play with 11 players, not 10 plus one. I’m a really young manager, I’ve been in the job three and a half years. I have few regrets, but one of them is that on two occasions, I felt after 60 minutes and 85 minutes of two games in this period to change the goalkeeper in that moment. I didn’t do it, I didn’t have the courage to do it.”
Havertz was another star left out of Arsenal’s starting line-up to face Everton, as Vieira was preferred instead. The Portuguese playmaker impressed, however, as he has done in cameo appearances while Havertz has failed to make the desired start after his £65million summer move from Chelsea.
Vieira would almost certainly feel that Havertz being restored to the team is a harsh reward after ousting his team-mate, but Arteta has asked fans to be patient with the German midfielder and he may come off contradictory if Havertz continues to warm the bench after just a few games in an Arsenal shirt.
Jesus ready for starting opportunity
Eddie Nketiah has led the line as Gabriel Jesus began the season with injury and has deputised ably. However, the Brazilian is working his way back to full fitness and Arteta may feel that it is the perfect opportunity to hand him a start against a perceived weaker opponent – despite PSV being the reigning Eredivisie champions and reaching the Champions League.
The Gunners have several strong options up front but Jesus is deemed the first-choice number nine, he could end Nketiah’s run in the team on Wednesday.
