MIKEL ARTETA has been handed an injury nightmare for his first match as a manager.
Pep Guardiola’s ex-No2 has been tasked with turning around struggling former club Arsenal.
He takes the Gunners to Bournemouth on Boxing Day without crocked first-team defenders Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding and Sead Kolasinac and Calum Chambers suspended.
So Arteta’s first task will be to decide the best makeshift defence to keep November player of the month Bernd Leno’s goal safe.
Bukayo Saka is likely to be called upon as an emergency left-back again as Sokratis returns from suspension to partner David Luiz and Ainsley Maitland-Niles lines up at right-back.
Arteta could turn to a three-man midfield to sure up his side as Matteo Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira and Granit Xhaka feature.
The Spaniard will hope he can get his attacking players firing, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe expected to be given a chance to impress their new boss.
Alternatively, Arteta could follow Freddie Ljungberg’s final game as an example and select a young side.
Gabriel Martinelli is a fitness doubt but Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson and Saka could play alongside a recalled Mesut Ozil behind Aubemayang.
And Xhaka could be deployed at left-back to offer more experience than young winger Saka as Torreira takes up the role Fernandinho plays at City.
