Mikel Arteta to make five Arsenal changes vs Man Utd as £34m star returns
Arsenal will be aiming to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
The Gunners registered a sublime 3-1 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday night. They preserved their 100 percent record in the competition with seven wins and have directly qualified for the round of 16 stage.
The focus will now shift to the much-awaited league clash against the Red Devils. Arsenal have a handy seven-point lead over Manchester City and Aston Villa at the top of the standings, but have played out back-to-back goalless draws.
Manager Mikel Arteta will want a better response from his players this weekend. Arsenal have won their last four league games against United at the Emirates, but Michael Carrick’s side won’t be an easy opposition to face.
United registered a 2-0 win over Manchester City at Old Trafford last weekend with a dominant counter-attacking display. Arsenal must play at their best to secure maximum points.
Ahead of the game, Arteta could contemplate five changes from the San Siro trip.
Gabriel & White return in defence
Myles Lewis-Skelly started in the left-back role against the Nerazzurri and had a good outing. Despite this, there will be a change on Sunday. It could be the same backline from the goalless draw at Forest, meaning that Ben White could return at right-back, with Jurrien Timber moving to the opposite end.
Cristhian Mosquera made his first appearance since early December after an ankle injury. The Spaniard started in the left centre-back role in midweek and fared impressively before being replaced by Gabriel Magalhaes, who is expected to be reinstated in the XI alongside William Saliba on Sunday.
Rice & Odegaard back in midfield
Mikel Merino and Eberechi Eze were not at their best on Tuesday. Inter capitalised on the space and limited mobility of the former in counter-attacks, but were not clinical enough in front of goal. It should be an easy decision to make for the manager. Declan Rice should come in for Merino in the number eight role. Martin Odegaard is poised to replace Eze in the attacking midfield position. The £34 million signing has been almost an undisputed starter in the league since his return to the line-up after a knee injury.
Gyokeres leads the line
Gabriel Jesus scored a sublime first-half brace at the San Siro. His clever positioning and improvisation paved the way for his goals, but he could still make way for Viktor Gyokeres upfront. Gyokeres also made his mark in the game with a superb long-range goal, coming off the bench.
The Swede has picked up form with three goal contributions in his last three outings. His strong physical presence and hold-up play could see him preferred over Jesus in the league once more. Gyokeres’ ability to occupy defenders has created space for his teammates to capitalise in the final third.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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