Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka should be fit enough to start for Arsenal against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
More than fitness-enforced changes, Mikel Arteta must put his thinking hat on and make the best selections possible that can help Arsenal overcome Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night. There are a few fitness concerns due to the crunch fixture schedule, but nothing would faze the Spaniard.
During his pre-match press conference, Arteta addressed some fitness concerns with his critical stars, such as Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. He also gave his views on Oleksandr Zinchenko and his importance in this squad, as there were a few rumblings about keeping the momentum and mentality intact.
On the fitness of Odegaard and Saka, who have been carrying knocks, Arteta was unfazed and did not reveal anything that would rule them out of the contest. He said, “Hopefully. We’ve had less than 48 hours to recover from the game and we’ve had very little training, so we will assess them tomorrow and see how they are.”
Oleksandr Zinchenko has come in for criticism following his performance against Aston Villa over the weekend. He may have been at fault for the first goal, while his overall display did cause many to ask critical questions,
On the left-back, Arteta said, “We love Alex, he’s given us so much, he’s given us a lot and he’s up there with different qualities. He has an unbelievable courage to play football given the circumstances, and as well as the demands. Stay with our players and support them because, for sure, they’re going to perform better.”
Arsenal’s team news seems to have no fresh concerns, with Jurrien Timber the only player currently out of contention. Arteta must make the right selection calls for this encounter in Munich, especially with the choice of left-back to face someone like Leroy Sane, who has turned up fit and trained ahead of the game.
Takehiro Tomiyasu is an interesting choice for Arteta to consider. The Japanese international is revered for his defensive style on either flank. Ben White will keep his place on the right-hand side, with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes sandwiched between the two full-backs.
Arteta can use Thomas Partey in this encounter. But he might also bring back Jorginho. Martin Odegaard will likely start despite some fitness concerns, with Declan Rice taking on the left-eight role.
Bukayo Saka will be expected to start on the right side of the attack, with Kai Havertz leading the line. Arteta might pick Gabriel Jesus on the left wing to keep Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli as options on the Arsenal bench.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; Ben White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Jesus
