Predicted Arsenal Lineup To Face Sunderland
Arsenal’s late resurgence in the Premier League might just not be able to keep them in the hunt for the top-4 as Liverpool and Manchester City managed to register wins at the weekend. However, they have a chance to cover some of the gap, when they take on an already relegated Sunderland in the midweek fixture in the Premier League. It will be Arsenal’s penultimate game of the season and any slip up would end their chances of a top-4 finish.
The win over Stoke will have given them a lot of confidence and Wenger will go into this fixture looking to wrap things up quickly.
Team News
Santi Cazorla remains the only long-term absentee for Arsenal ahead of this game. The likes of Laurent Koscielny and Alexis Sanchez picked up knocks recently and will be assessed before the game while Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain has a race to be fit for this game.
Probable Arsenal XI:
Formation: 3-4-3
Manager: Arsene Wenger
GK – Petr Cech
The first choice shot-stopper for Arsenal, Cech has been in brilliant form recently and will hope to finish the season on a strong note.
CB – Rob Holding
The youngster has done well as a part of the back three and Wenger should start him on the right-hand side of the back three.
CB – Shkodran Mustafi
The German defender has done well this season and he should start at the heart of the Arsenal defence, in the absence of skipper Laurent Koscielny.
CB – Nacho Monreal
The experienced fullback has done Arsenal a huge favor, putting in solid performances as a part of the back three. He is expected to keep his place in the side.
RM – Hector Bellerin
The injury to Oxlade-Chamberlain has forced Wenger to use Bellerin as a wing-back but he is hardly a bad second option to have in the squad.
CM – Aaron Ramsey
The Welshman has found some new-born freshness in his game and has been looking lively in the last few weeks. He should start this game alongside Granit Xhaka.
CM – Granit Xhaka
The Swiss international has found some sparkling form late in the season and Wenger will need him to continue his performances for the final 3 games of the season.
LM – Kieran Gibbs
With Monreal playing as a centre-back, Wenger has little choice but to use Gibbs as the wing-back on the left flank.
RW – Mesut Ozil
The German playmaker had a good game against Stoke but will have to do much more in the absence of Alexis Sanchez in this game against Sunderland.
LW – Theo Walcott
With Sanchez not fully fit, Wenger might not want to risk him and should use Walcott on the left-wing to add some pace to his attack.
ST – Olivier Giroud
Welbeck has not been able to prove himself and Wenger stuck with Giroud as the first choice against Stoke. Should be the case in this game as well.