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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Matt Verri

Three big Arsenal selection decisions facing Mikel Arteta for PSG Champions League final

There is plenty for Mikel Arteta to ponder as he prepares for the biggest night of his career.

Arsenal take on Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on Saturday and Arteta has key decisions to make all across the pitch.

For large chunks of the past few seasons, injuries have hampered the Gunners and Arteta has had to prepare without anything like the full artillery at his disposal.

However, when Arsenal arrived in Budapest on Thursday, it was with as strong and as available a squad as they have had in a long time.

Ben White is the only guaranteed absentee. Jurrien Timber is in contention to return after more than two months out and otherwise it is a fully-fit squad as it stands.

Big calls: Mikel Arteta has decisions to make for the Champions League final (Getty)
Big calls: Mikel Arteta has decisions to make for the Champions League final (Getty)

That is a luxury for Arteta but one that will leave him several huge calls.

Here are three decisions that could define Arsenal's performance on Saturday night...

Jurrien Timber vs Cristhian Mosquera

If Timber was fully fit, there would be no decision to make at right-back.

The Dutchman is by far Arsenal's most complete option there and he was having a superb season before suffering a groin injury in March.

Timber has not played since, with that injury proving more complicated than expected, and White's season has since been ended by a knee problem.

There was positive news for Arsenal when Timber trained fully on Wednesday and he has travelled with the squad to Budapest.

Ordinarily, Arteta would probably not throw Timber straight back into the starting lineup after so long out. However, this is not a normal occasion.

Cristhian Mosquera has been filling in at right-back during Jurrien Timber's absence (Getty)
Cristhian Mosquera has been filling in at right-back during Jurrien Timber's absence (Getty)

A Champions League final is a rare opportunity and Arsenal have a rare talent to keep quiet in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Cristhian Mosquera has done a decent job when filling in at right-back, but he struggled against Jeremy Doku last month and this would be another huge step up.

If Timber can train again on Friday without any issues, starting him is probably worth the risk. Even if he can only play 60 minutes, that could make all the difference.

Myles Lewis-Skelly vs Martin Zubimendi

For most of the season it was almost impossible to imagine an Arsenal starting lineup without Martin Zubimendi in it.

The Spaniard was an ever-present in the side and has put in a massive effort physically in his first season in England.

That came at a cost, with Zubimendi looking increasingly jaded, and at the start of this month Arteta made the decisive call.

In came Myles Lewis-Skelly for his first senior start in midfield against Fulham. He shone and kept his place for pivotal matches against Atletico Madrid and West Ham.

Myles Lewis-Skelly is pushing for a start in the biggest game of his career to date (Getty)
Myles Lewis-Skelly is pushing for a start in the biggest game of his career to date (Getty)

Lewis-Skelly has been training in midfield since December but delivering in the pressure of the run-in was a real message to Arteta that he can be trusted.

The 19-year-old seemingly relishes the biggest stage. He was sensational at the Bernabeu last season and was brilliant in the semi-final this season against Atletico.

Lewis-Skelly is playing with confidence and has momentum with him. It would be a huge ask to expect Zubimendi to come back into the side and suddenly rediscover his energy.

Against an elite PSG midfield, Lewis-Skelly feels like the right choice. He can win fouls to relieve pressure, dart into space, and play those more incisive passes through the lines.

Viktor Gyokeres vs Kai Havertz

The first leg against Atletico was something of a turning point for Viktor Gyokeres.

He has scored goals this season but the sense was that his overall game, particularly when it came to holding up the ball and linking play, was restricting Arsenal.

However, Gyokeres delivered in that respect in Madrid and has not looked back. He then scored twice and registered an assist against Fulham, before running himself into the ground in the second leg against Atletico.

Gyokeres now looks as complete a striker as he has all season and a real handful for defenders.

The problem for the Swede is how much Arteta trusts Kai Havertz. The German has so often got the nod to lead the line in the biggest matches.

Havertz was trusted up front at the Etihad against Man City last month. He also came into the side to score the only goal against Burnley that ultimately led to Arsenal winning the title the following night.

Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres have shared centre-forward duties all season (Getty)
Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres have shared centre-forward duties all season (Getty)

Arsenal have more of the ball and create more chances when Havertz is the striker. Technically he is on another level to Gyokeres.

The decision could come down to the significance Arteta puts on his 'finishers' off the bench.

Gyokeres is probably more likely to make an impact as a substitute when slightly more space is on offer and the defenders are tired.

Havertz's security on the ball and relationship with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard might be preferred for the first 70 minutes or so, before Gyokeres is then unleashed late on.

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