Leandro Trossard will replace Gabriel Martinelli in the Arsenal starting lineup when they host Sporting CP at the Emirates on Wednesday.
Arsenal will aim to secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals when they welcome Sporting CP to the Emirates for the quarter-final second leg on Wednesday night. Mikel Arteta has received a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber are closing in on returning from their minor injuries. However, Arteta has been sweating over Declan Rice’s fitness after the English international, along with Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard, missed training ahead of the game against Sporting CP.
Additionally, Mikel Merino is a long-term absentee due to a foot injury. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Arteta provided fitness updates on Rice and Saka.
The Arsenal manager said, “We have to wait until tomorrow morning to see how a few of the boys are and make the right decision with them. We have to wait and see how he [Rice] is tomorrow, but obviously he wasn’t available to train. He’s played a lot of games and that’s part of the issue. But he’s going to try to do everything that he possibly can to be with us tomorrow, that’s for sure.”
“Maybe one of them [one of Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber will return], let’s see. It was something that he [Saka] was carrying for a while. It was an Achilles issue.”
Meanwhile, during his press conference, Arteta answered a question on his secretive nature while discussing team news. The Arsenal boss said, “I don’t see that on the supporters at all, and I know a lot of them, so I don’t have that feeling.”
“Because from 60,000, but the majority of that, they are so happy to see the team, regardless of who plays, because no manager, I think, gives a press conference when they give the lineup, then talks about different things. I don’t think it’s the case.”
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 Sporting CP on Wednesday. The backline will feature Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Piero Hincapie.
As for the midfield unit, Declan Rice should be fit enough to accompany Martin Zubimendi in the double pivot, with Eberechi Eze reprising the no. 10 role. If Rice cannot feature from the get-go, Eze and Kai Havertz will form a midfield trifecta alongside Zubimendi. Finally, Viktor Gyokeres will lead the line for the home side against Sporting, with Leandro Trossard and Noni Madueke being the two wide attackers. So, Bukayo Saka will be a backup option on the bench for the Gunners.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres