Kieran Tierney is set to make his Premier League debut while Alexandre Lacazette should return to action when Arsenal take on Sheffield United on Monday.
Arsenal will looking to continue their unbeaten run when they travel to Yorkshire to face off against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Monday night. And, Unai Emery has received a major boost ahead of his side’s latest Premier League fixture.
Alexandre Lacazette has trained this past week with the first-team after recovering from the ankle injury that had ruled him out of action since the start of September. And, the Frenchman is in line to return to the starting lineup against Sheffield United.
Bernd Leno is a certain starter in goal in the Premier League and the German custodian should take his place between the sticks for Arsenal. But, a change is in the offing in the defensive line, with Kieran Tierney expected to make his Premier League debut. And, Emery hinted towards the same in his pre-match press conference.
“He’s ready to play. Now we have two options in that left-back role with Sead Kolasinac and him. It depends how he comes into the first training with us, Sead, after his international matches. We now have two players in that position and we can use one on Monday, it depends how they are, one or the other.”
Tierney should start on the left side of the Arsenal defence, with Sokratis and David Luiz likely to continue as the central defensive partnership for the Gunners. On the opposite flank, Hector Bellerin is still some way off becoming a regular, meaning Calum Chambers ought to line up as the right-back.
Up ahead in midfield, Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka picks himself, with Matteo Guendouzi now an automatic selection ahead of Lucas Torreira. The duo should partner up in the midfield double pivot, with Dani Ceballos expected to get the nod ahead of Mesut Ozil in the no. 10 role once again.
In attack, Lacazette is in contention to start, as iterated earlier. And, Emery provided an update on the French striker, iterating that he will take a late call on his involvement against Sheffield United.
“Today is his first training back with us. He finished it well and he’s feeling well with his injuries. Tomorrow we will be training again and he will be with us. We will decide. It’s positive for us that he’s started training and that he’s a possibility for Monday.”
“I don’t know whether he’s ready for 90 minutes or on the bench. We’ll decide that over the next days, but it’s very important for him to come back to training with us.”
Lacazette’s possible return means Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could have to vacate the central striker’s berth. Arsenal’s top scorer and the Premier League Player of the Month for September might, thus, start on the left flank. Nicolas Pepe picks himself on the right side of the Arsenal attack.
Predicted Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Chambers, Sokratis, Luiz, Tierney; Guendouzi, Xhaka; Pepe, Ceballos, Aubameyang; Lacazette
Unai would have used 4-3-3 style