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Football London
Football London
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Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

Ceballos and Nketiah start, Lacazette dropped - The team Arsenal fans want to see vs Bournemouth

Arsenal will aim to join Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City in the fifth round of the FA Cup when they face Bournemouth tonight.

With kick-off at 8pm, the two teams will be aware of who awaits them in the next round as the draw for round five will be broadcast during BBC One's 'The One Show' at roughly around 7.20pm.

The FA Cup is a competition which Gunners head coach Mikel Arteta won twice during his playing days at the Emirates Stadium and it's a trophy he wants to win in his first season in management.

"We're going to fight for every competition that we're involved in," Arteta said during his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon. "I know what it means for this club to win that competition.

"We need to get back winning and get back there, everybody talking about us.

"This is a great competition to try to do that."

In terms of team news, Arteta will be without as many as six first-team players for the clash against Eddie Howe's side who returned to winning ways against Brighton and Hove Albion last time out.

Calum Chambers, Kieran Tierney, Reiss Nelson and Sead Kolasinac are unavailable because of injury, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and David Luiz miss the trip due to suspension.

However, Sokratis is available once again after missing draws against Sheffield United and Chelsea through illness.

Ahead of the game at the Vitality Stadium, football.london offered fans the chance to step into Arteta's shoes and pick the team to take on the Cherries.

Supporters were asked who they'd like to start the game against Bournemouth and those who responded came up with some interesting selections.

As expected, cup goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez replaces Bernd Leno in between the sticks as  keeps as he goes in search of another clean sheet after impressing against Leeds United in the last round.

In front of him, fans are hoping Shkodran Mustafi is dropped, with Rob Holding coming in for his first start since early November to partner Sokratis in central defence, while Hector Bellerin and Bukayo Saka keep their places.

The midfield three is altered from the Chelsea draw and despite the graphic below suggesting an holding midfield role for Dani Ceballos, it's more likely he would start further forward in his first taste of action since November 6th.

In attack is where things get rather interesting.

Not only have fans called for the inclusion of Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli in the wide areas, they also want Alexandre Lacazette to make way for Eddie Nketiah as the central striker.

Arsenal XI: Martinez; Bellerin, Holding, Sokratis, Saka; Torreira, Guendouzi, Ceballos; Pepe, Nketiah, Martinelli.

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