3. Christian Atsu
The Everton new boy, (or another Chelsea loanee discarded for game time), could make his first Premier League start on Saturday. He isn’t fully match fit; explaining his lack of inclusion on the opening day, but an early season game against Arsenal could force Martinez into including this starlet. He’s Ghana’s rising superstar, predicted with a big future. He’s a tricky player, likes to dribble, has bags of pace, and is always looking to commit a defender. He has talent. He may not start, but if he does, it’s likely to be on either side of a front three — and he will cause problems. Last year it was Deulofeu who helped damage Arsenal’s title hopes with a late winner, and Atsu is his temporary replacement, which could see a repeat of events if the Ghanaian star has a dream debut. If Atsu doesn’t take up that wide-forward slot, then it’ll no doubt be Kevin Mirallas, who, when on form, is a real threat. He possesses similar attributes, and has the ability, occasionally, to come up with the spectacular.
Arsenal will have to match Everton’s pace on Saturday, and playing pacy forwards could give us the edge in both attack and defence, allowing for counter attacks and quick recovery. However, it’d be no surprise to see Giroud selected. Despite his recent attacking woes, he’s an asset in defending set pieces, and with the likes of Lukaku hovering around, Arsenal will need to be ready physically.