ARSENAL travel to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday desperate to bounce back from their desperately disappointing return to action at Manchester City on Wednesday night.
Things had started well enough for the Gunners, before Pablo Mari’s injury preceded a 25 minute David Luiz disasterclass that saw them 2-0 down with ten-men and 40 minutes still remaining.
Mikel Arteta cannot allow his players to feel sorry for themselves, however, with games coming thick and fast – starting with Saturday’s trip to the South Coast to face the Seagulls.
Graham Potter’s men are yet to win a match in 2020, so could provide the ideal opponents for Arsenal to get themselves going again as they try and cling on to faint hopes of reaching next season’s Champions League.
Bernd Leno was mostly a helpless, and at times horrified, spectator as City were able to dominate the Gunners – but the German made some crucial saves and could bail his team-mates out again at the weekend.
Fit-again Hector Bellerin is likely to make just his tenth league appearance of an injury-blighted season – particularly with Cedric Soares still nursing a facial injury following an accidental training collision with Bukayo Saka.
Kieran Tierney has had a similarly rocky time with injury, but acquitted himself reasonably well at the Etihad and should keep his place.
With Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari all injured, and Luiz now suspended, Arteta has little option but to place his faith in Shkodran Mustafi and the little-seen Rob Holding in defence.
Granit Xhaka was added to the treatment table that already included fellow midfielder Lucas Torreira on Wednesday night – so substitute Dani Ceballos could come in to partner Matteo Guendouzi in a more attacking Gunners side.
Arteta raised eyebrows by omitting Mesut Ozil from the matchday squad entirely, but could recall the German in place of Joe Willock in order to add extra creativity to his midfield.
Of Ozil, Arteta said after the City match: “A lot has happened to him in the last few weeks and I have to respect the timing of every player that needs sometimes a little bit of time.
“It’s been difficult preparation in the last two months to get players ready and again, I’m the first one that wants Mesut at his best and I will put him in the pitch when I think he can give his best.”
Nicolas Pepe had shown signs of life under Arteta prior to the season’s suspension, and could replace Saka on the right flank to freshen up the Arsenal attack.
Skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was deployed wide on the left, and could do so again to accommodate an extra striker in the 4-2-3-1 formation.
And while Alexandre Lacazette is available, Arteta has shown that he believes in young Eddie Nketiah, and could be inclined to stick with the youngster in place of his more illustrious competitor for the role.
The Spaniard said: “I want him [Nketiah] to keep doing what he’s doing. The way he played last night against those players, in those difficult conditions, for me is extraordinary at his age.
“He has an immense personality to play, confidence, he’s powerful and is developing in every area I think. I have a lot of faith in him.”
