Kai Havertz will replace Martin Odegaard in the Arsenal starting lineup when they welcome Bournemouth to the Emirates on Saturday.
Arsenal will aim to take a step closer to the Premier League title when they host Bournemouth at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon. Mikel Arteta has received a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Martin Odegaard is the latest absentee after pulling up in the UEFA Champions League clash with Sporting CP earlier this week. Additionally, Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, and Piero Hincapie missed the North London club’s open training session. Meanwhile, Mikel Merino is a long-term absentee due to a foot injury.
However, Eberechi Eze has resumed training after recovering from a muscular issue, and he will be available to take on Bournemouth. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Arteta provided fitness updates on Eze and Merino.
The Arsenal manager said, “He [Eze] is available. He has [been ahead of schedule], my first conversation with him after he felt a niggle, he wanted to be available the next week, we knew that was impossible. But the recovery, the will that he’s shown from day one to get back as quick as possible, how he’s pushed the medical staff and himself to be there tomorrow, it’s just great to watch.”
“He [Merino] is another one that is going to push every boundary. He’s out of his boot now. He’s doing quite a lot of exercises already. He’s reacted really well to the surgery. He’s got no pain. It’s more for the medical staff to go a bit further on that. But I’m sure there is a chance to make that period shorter. If there is a person who can do it, I’m sure that’s going to be Mikel again.”
David Raya is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Arsenal lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Bournemouth on Saturday. The backline will feature Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Riccardo Calafiori. Ben White and Myles Lewis-Skelly will feature from the get-go if Timber and Calafiori are not fit enough.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi in the double pivot. Kai Havertz will replace Martin Odegaard in the no. 10 berth, with Bukayo Saka (Noni Madueke if Saka is not fit enough) and Leandro Trossard being the two wide attackers. Finally, Viktor Gyokeres will lead the line for the home side against Bournemouth.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli; Gyokeres