Arsenal travel to Villa Park today to take on Aston Villa in a crucial Premier League clash.
This is the first time in nearly six months that Mikel Arteta’s side go into a matchday outside of the top spot having relinquished their place at the top of the pile on Wednesday. Manchester City now lead the league on goal difference after securing a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium, although the Gunners do have a game in hand on their title rivals.
Next up for the north London outfit is a game against former Arsenal boss Unai Emery, who now manages Villa. Ahead of the highly-anticipated matchup, football.london takes a look at three different ways that Arteta could set his team up this afternoon.
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Switch the left up
Arsenal’s left flank was firing on all cylinders before the World Cup. Left winger Gabriel Martinelli was a constant threat and left-sided No.8 Granit Xhaka was playing his best football since arriving at the club six years ago.
However, they have looked languid in recent outings. This seems like the perfect chance to give January signing Leandro Trossard his first league start ahead of Martinelli, with summer arrival Fabio Vieira also coming in for Xhaka.
Vieira’s presence would add an additional creative influence in central areas, something that will certainly be needed against Unai Emery’s resolute mid-block. Meanwhile, Trossard has looked lively off the bench and dropping Martinelli could be the perfect motivation for the Brazilian to turn around his current vein of form.
Potential XI: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Vieira; Saka, Nketiah, Trossard.
Double left-back option
Of course it may be slightly too attacking to start both Martin Odegaard and Vieira together, especially in a tricky away game. Instead, Oleksandr Zinchenko could play in midfield over Vieira to reduce Villa’s threat from transitions.
This would also allow Kieran Tierney the chance to roam down the left flank. The Scottish international has been reduced to just six Premier League starts this term, operating in an inverted role in Zinchenko’s absence.
But maybe it’s time to let the former Celtic man overlap on the by-line, granting Trossard the ability to play more central to offer centre-forward Eddie Nketiah support through the middle.
It would also be sensible to reinstate Ben White at right-back following Takehiro Tomiyasu’s disappointing display against City. The Japanese international gifted the reigning champions their opening goal of the game and White has barely put a foot wrong all season.
Potential XI: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney; Odegaard, Jorginho, Zinchenko; Saka, Nketiah, Trossard.
Unchanged XI
This is a risky one. Arteta has barely changed his team up this season, with six players starting every single league match this term whilst both Ben White and Martin Odegaard have failed to make the starting XI just once each.
The Gunners were hardly poor against City so it is entirely possible that they go with the same team that lost on Wednesday. The players would surely be motivated given the chance to right their wrongs from three days ago.
However, this is probably the least sensible option in all honesty.
Potential XI: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Xhaka; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli.
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