Mikel Arteta did not give away details about the fitness of Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes, although the pair could start for Arsenal against Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal have had a prolonged break since their last game as they travel to take on Nottingham Forest. This particular fixture has proven tricky in the past, but Mikel Arteta will want continuity from the performance against Crystal Palace.
The rumours about Arteta possibly leaving Arsenal dominated proceedings during the pre-game press conference, which the Gunners boss vehemently denied, calling it ‘fake news’. He did not confirm with absolute certainty regarding the fitness of key players, especially Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes, although the pair could still start.
Rice went off when Arsenal were 3-0 up against Palace, with Arteta confirming he felt something. However, reports in the following days insisted there were no fears with the midfielder and that he might return fit for the Nottingham Forest clash. Meanwhile, Gabriel’s problem was also considered minor, but Arteta did not confirm or deny his participation.
On the squad update, Arteta said, “We’ve got some late decisions to make. Thomas won’t be one of those, but we have a few that had some issues at the end of the last game, and we’re still uncertain with a few players.”
On Rice, he said, “He is one of the players, yes. He’s done some work but has missed some work as well. Hopefully he’s going to be okay.”
Meanwhile, Arteta confirmed that Thomas Partey won’t play any part despite predictions the Ghanaian will get a few minutes after returning to full training last week. He continued, “Thomas is not in the squad, no. It’s what it is. You want everybody available, and he’s a top player for us, a really important player for us, but at the moment, he’s not fit yet.”
Beyond that, Arsenal are expected to have a similar squad that featured against Palace, and in all likelihood, Arteta could name the same lineup. With David Raya in goal, Arteta could field the same back four of Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Similarly, Rice will likely start at the base of midfield, with Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz on either side. Alternatively, Arsenal have Jorginho to replace Rice, especially if Arteta emphasises the clash with Liverpool later in the week.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus appear like sure starters in the attack. But Arteta has to decide between Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli. The formula to start the Belgian worked, although the Brazilian scored twice from the bench. The former will likely get the nod for this one.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; Ben White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Trossard
