Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to return to the starting lineup when Arsenal face Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday.
Arsenal travel to the Amex Stadium on Tuesday as they lock horns with Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday. It is a must-win game for the visitors as they hope to make up some ground in the league table.
The Gunners were highly successful in their last game against Chelsea, securing a convincing 3-1 victory. So naturally, Mikel Arteta will have very little reason to change things from the starting lineup, although the coach does not have too many options either.
Gabriel Magalhaes, in particular, remains out on the sidelines after contracting COVID-19. In addition, David Luiz is a doubt, which should see Pablo Mari retain his place at the heart of the Arsenal defence alongside Rob Holding.
There should be no changes elsewhere in the defensive department either, with Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin operating as the full-backs and Bernd Leno starting in between the sticks.
In midfield, Arteta has offered some useful update regarding the injury of Thomas Partey. As confirmed in an official statement, the midfielder has “started to train outside and will continue with his daily assessments and monitoring.”
Although Partey remains out for this particular game, Arteta should have him back soon enough. But in the meantime, the Spaniard has no option but to persist with the central midfield duo of Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka. The two performed really well against Chelsea, and fans will be hoping for a similar outing this midweek as the Gunners looks to dominate the game.
Things do get a lot more interesting in the final third for Arsenal this week, especially in terms of team selection. The biggest news heading into this game is the potential return of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the starting lineup. The Arsenal captain was an unused sub against Chelsea but is expected to spearhead the Arsenal attack, at the expense of Alexandre Lacazette.
Elsewhere, the wide attacking duo of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have both been excellent in the past two matches. But, it could be one of those games where Arsenal could use the set-piece prowess of someone like Nicolas Pepe while Willian is also likely to return to full fitness before the encounter against Brighton.
However, Arteta is expected to make just one change in attack, with Aubameyang coming in. It essentially means that Emile Smith Rowe should also retain his place in the side, ahead of Lacazette, who could also be an option in the number ten role.
Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Leno; Bellerin, Holding, Mari, Tierney; Elneny, Xhaka; Saka, Smith Rowe, Martinelli; Aubameyang
