Arsenal are aiming for a second straight victory to kickstart the 2025–26 Premier League season when they host newly-promoted Leeds United.
The Gunners were victorious in an extremely challenging opener at Old Trafford last weekend, narrowly beating Manchester United 1–0 thanks to Riccardo Calafiori’s early goal. While they were far from flawless on their trip north, they managed to secure a hugely important win to keep pace with Liverpool and Manchester City at the beginning of the title race.
Leeds, on paper at least, should be much more straightforward opposition for Arsenal, who have home advantage for the upcoming clash. They are unbeaten in their last 14 matches with the Yorkshire outfit, winning 12 of those encounters, but Daniel Farke’s side also got three points from their opening game thanks to Lukas Nmecha’s penalty winner against Everton.
Here is how Arsenal could line up.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Leeds (4-3-3)
GK: David Raya—Raya produced some exceptional saves to thwart Man Utd and will expect to be quieter against Leeds, although Farke has insisted his visitors will attack Arsenal on Saturday.
RB: Jurriën Timber—Timber could be the sole change from the starting lineup that won at Old Trafford, with the more attack-minded Dutchman potentially replacing Ben White at right back.
CB: William Saliba—Saliba could and probably should have given away a penalty last weekend but was otherwise impressive with 14 defensive contributions against Man Utd.
CB: Gabriel—Jakub Kiwior performed admirably for Arsenal at the end of last season but the Gunners are thrilled to have Gabriel back partnering Saliba in the heart of defence.
LB: Riccardo Calafiori—Calafiori was the match-winner at Old Trafford, although Altay Bayındır offered him a sizeable helping hand. The Italian will continue to compete with Myles Lewis-Skelly for a starting berth.
CM: Martin Ødegaard—The Arsenal skipper covered more ground than anyone during the clash with Man Utd but will want to be more impactful in possession this time around. He remains such an important creator for the Gunners despite some criticism.
CM: Martín Zubimendi—Zubimendi’s calming presence at the base of midfield should allow both Ødegaard and Declan Rice the freedom of the Emirates, with the Spaniard’s distribution and defensive awareness facilitating for a more expansive approach.
CM: Declan Rice—Rice was not at his best against the Red Devils and will be eager to make amends with a strong performance against Leeds. He will take confidence from his recent inclusion in the 2025 Premier League PFA Team of the Year.
RW: Bukayo Saka—Saka has just the two goals in seven previous appearances against Leeds but he will back himself to improve that tally on Saturday—despite not being at his sharpest last time out.
ST: Viktor Gyökeres—With Kai Havertz suffering a concerning injury setback, even more pressure now falls on Gyökeres to find his shooting boots. The Swede was anonymous against Man Utd and will be searching for redemption this weekend.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Leeds: Gyokeres Hunts Redemption on First Home Start.
