Arsenal contest a critical north London derby with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon as they continue their push for the Premier League title.
The early advantage lies with the Gunners in the fight for first place, but a slip-up at Sunderland before the international break has left the door ajar for their chasers. Returning to winning ways and clinching crucial bragging rights is vital for Mikel Arteta’s men.
The derby marks the beginning of a difficult week for Arsenal, who face Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday before a trip to Chelsea next weekend, and injury issues are causing Arteta selection headaches. A weakened attacking line and a major injury to Gabriel will make Arsenal’s life tougher.
Here is how they could line up at the Emirates Stadium against Spurs.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1)
GK: David Raya—Seven clean sheets in 11 matches ensures Raya is on course for another Premier League Golden Glove and he would love to shut Tottenham out on derby day.
RB: Jurriën Timber—The Dutchman has been integral to Arsenal’s success in both halves and is perhaps the best all-round right back knocking about at present.
CB: William Saliba—Saliba will be without his partner Gabriel on Sunday, but that’s unlikely to affect the unflappable Frenchman. He won’t be overly concerned by Tottenham’s striking options, which include compatriot Randal Kolo Muani.
CB: Cristhian Mosquera—Mosquera is expected to be drafted in as Gabriel’s replacement having already shown glimpses of his composure and potential since signing for the Gunners. He will want to go relatively under the radar in a first north London derby.
LB: Riccardo Calafiori—A hip injury has threatened Calafiori’s involvement in Sunday’s fixture, but there is an expectation he will feature at left back. Myles Lewis-Skelly is on hand to cover just in case.
DM: Martín Zubimendi—Zubimendi has slotted seamlessly into Arsenal’s midfield, offering excellent defensive protection and composed playmaking as the Gunners play through the thirds. He already looks a bargain.
DM: Declan Rice—Rice will be given the freedom to crash the Tottenham box and the Englishman has proven an impressive attacking threat through his late darts into the area and set-piece deliveries.
AM: Eberechi Eze—With Martin Ødegaard still missing, Eze will be tasked with providing Arsenal’s creative edge in central areas. The summer recruit scored a stunner for England over the international period, boosting confidence levels at the perfect moment.
RW: Bukayo Saka—Saka has six goal contributions in ten meetings with Tottenham and enters Sunday’s game in stellar form. He scored over the international break to take his tally to four goals from his last six outings.
ST: Mikel Merino—Merino has no right scoring as many goals as he does. The orthodox midfielder now has nine for club and country this season and should fill the shoes of the injured Viktor Gyökeres adequately.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Tottenham: Gabriel Injury Causes Defensive Reshuffle.
