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Football London
Football London
Sport
James Benge

Koscielny, Mavropanos, Torreira - Arsenal team news and probable XI vs Brighton & Hove Albion

With three more decisive games to come in the next week Unai Emery faces quite the selection headache going into Arsenal's home game against Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.

Emery is expected to rotate his squad for what is theoretically the easiest of the games on the immediate horizon but Arsenal know that their only realistic hope of finishing in the Premier League top four comes from winning both of their remaining games in the competition, first against the Seagulls at the Emirates Stadium and then away to Burnley on the final day of the domestic season.

A quintet of Arsenal players can categorically be ruled out of Sunday's game. Aaron Ramsey (hamstring), Denis Suarez (groin), Danny Welbeck (ankle), Rob Holding and Hector Bellerin (both knee) have played their last games of the season.

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Lucas Torreira is expected to return to the starting line-up after being named among the substitutes for Thursday's 3-1 win over Valencia, with Matteo Guendouzi seeming to be his most likely partner in the midfield engine room.

A suspension for Ainsley Maitland-Niles could mean a return to a four man defence, though the 4-4-2 Emery utilised against Leicester on Sunday had plenty of difficulties.

Whether Emery fields a four or three-man defence is still a matter for some debate but it appears likely that Laurent Koscielny will not be part of Arsenal's starting lineup. The club captain came through the win over Valencia battered and bruised but crucially, football.london understands, without any fresh injury concern.

Laurent Koscielny takes on Rodrigo of Valencia during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

However Koscielny has ongoing issues with both Achilles and would appear to be a prime candidate to be given a break against Brighton. The same is likely to be true for one or other of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Alexandre Lacazette.

Bernd Leno will also return in goal though Petr Cech's final home game in English football will not go unnoticed. Both he and Ramsey will be given a guard of honour after the match to mark their contributions to Arsenal.

Cech will retire at the end of the season whilst Ramsey has agreed to join Juventus on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Probable Arsenal XI: Leno; Mustafi, Sokratis, Mavropanos, Monreal; Torreira, Guendouzi; Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Iwobi; Aubameyang

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