Eddie Nketiah is in line to start after impressing in midweek but Thomas Partey will miss out as Arsenal gear up to take on Burnley in the Premier League.
Arsenal will be aiming to get back to winning ways in the 2020/21 Premier League when they lock horns with relegation battlers Burnley at the Emirates on Sunday night.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been treated with some positive news on the injury front heading into the game as David Luiz and Gabriel Martinelli have returned to full training. However, the Gunners will be without the services of Thomas Partey, who picked up another injury in his comeback game against Tottenham last week.
? Here's the latest update ahead of tomorrow's @PremierLeague game at the Emirates#ARSBUR
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 12, 2020
“Thomas will be out for a few games. It is the same area where he got injured previously, he felt it again and we will have to see how long it is going to take to heal,” Arteta said of the midfielder while addressing the press.
Having rung in the changes for the UEFA Europa League clash against Dundalk on Thursday night, the Arsenal manager will bring back his regulars when Burnley come visiting. There should be a change of formation as well, with the Gunners reverting to a 4-2-3-1 after playing with a three-man backline in midweek.
Bernd Leno should reclaim his starting berth in goal after making way for Runar Alex Runarsson in the Europa League clash. There should be wholesale changes made to the backline as well, with Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney returning at full-back while Rob Holding partners up with Gabriel Magalhaes at the heart of the Arsenal defence.
Having left Granit Xhaka behind for the trip to Ireland in midweek, Arteta is very much likely to recall the Swiss international for Sunday’s game. Partnering him in the midfield double pivot for Arsenal should be Dani Ceballos, who made a substitute appearance against Dundalk. Mohamed Elneny and Joe Willock drop to the bench.
Moving to the attacking third, Nicolas Pepe still remains unavailable in the Premier League due to suspension. However, there could be some tweaks made by manager on Sunday in order to make room for Eddie Nketiah in the starting XI, after the youngster’s impressive form in Europa League.
“He is performing really well, last night [against Dundalk] he was a threat all the time and he has chances, like everyone else, to start the game on Sunday,” the Arsenal manager said, hinting at a possible start for the centre-forward on Sunday.
Should Nketiah feature as the centre-forward, club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should find himself slotted in on the left flank, while Bukayo Saka moves to the right wing. Alexandre Lacazette ought to slot in as the No. 10 like he did last week against Tottenham Hotspur. Willian, who has struggled for form, misses out.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup: Leno; Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Ceballos, Xhaka; Saka, Lacazette, Aubameyang; Nketiah
