Arsene Wenger will have one and a half eyes on the following week when he selects his team to face Sunderland. The Gunners travel to Liverpool and Stoke next week – two daunting fixtures. With the Premier League title very much realistic at this stage, Arsenal will need to ensure their best players are completely fit for these two games.
With that in mind, here’s how I’d like Arsenal to line up for this fixture.
Goalkeeper: David Ospina
Remember him? Ospina’s last gaffe almost cost us very dear in a cup competition. Hopefully he won’t make such a large mistake again and he might be looking to put himself in the shop window in this game.
Right Back: Mathieu Debuchy
Debuchy may well be on his way out of the club this month, but Wenger will want to utilise him for this fixture, allowing Hector Bellerin a rest and Calum Chambers another chance to impress in midfield.
Centre Back: Per Mertesacker
The German centre back will add experience to what is likely to be a young Arsenal side. His presence also allows for Laurent Koscielny to be rested, and Koscielny is an essential component for our title charge.
Centre Back: Gabriel Paulista
Another good performance for Gabriel in this game may see him force his way into the regular starting eleven. The Brazilian centre back scored in an impressive overall display in his last game, with many preferring him to Mertesacker, who seems to be slowing down (is it possible for him to get slower?).
Left Back: Kieran Gibbs
Monreal certainly needs a rest in this game and Gibbs will be excited to get another chance in his primary position of left back.
Defensive Midfielder: Calum Chambers
Chambers is likely to get another run out in midfield, as Arsenal still wait on the arrival and integration of expected new signing Mohamed Elneny. His last start in midfield was against Bournemouth, and he actually impressed – hopefully he can do so again.
Central Midfielder: Mathieu Flamini
This may appear to be an uninspiring midfielder duo, and it is, but if Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil are to be rested, Arsene Wenger has little choice in central areas right now.
Right Midfield: Joel Campbell
Campbell certainly deserves to start this game, and if he plays well, he might earn a start against Liverpool in the league game a few days later. In the last couple of fixtures, Oxlade-Chamberlain has been preferred to the Costa Rican winger, but he has not nearly performed as well. Saturday presents a good chance for Campbell to show what he can do.
Attacking Midfield: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Chamberlain has really struggled lately, but perhaps Saturday could be a chance for him to prove himself in the number 10 role. With Jack Wilshere out injured, there is no obvious back up to Mesut Ozil, so it would be nice if Chamberlain did step up in this position.
Left Midfield: Jeff Reine-Adelaide
JEFF! I wouldn’t like to start both Alex Iwobi and Jeff, and I’d prefer to see the Frenchman over the Nigerian in this one. The 17-year-old is highly rated by Arsene Wenger; this game would be his first senior start for the club, as he wasn’t available for the League Cup game vs. Sheffield Wednesday.
Striker: Theo Walcott
With the weight of goals weighing heavy on Olivier Giroud’s shoulders, Walcott may well get another chance to impress up front on Saturday. Theo has quite an impressive record in the FA Cup, so hopefully he can impress again – although I do think Giroud may be needed from the bench.
With both Arsenal and Sunderland set to make wholesale changes, this game is a tricky one to call. If you’re thinking about placing a bet on this match, make sure to check out this article on the pros and cons of online gambling.
What’s your prediction and who do you think should start? Get involved in the conversation and tweet us at @FreshFootball.