Arsenal find themselves in a great position as they get ready to face Bournemouth at the Emirates on Saturday, so let’s take a look at the predicted lineup.
The Gunners cruised to a comfortable 4-0 win over Everton a few days ago. That win has put them five points ahead of Manchester City in the league table. It is something that looked out of reach just a couple of weeks ago. So, what about the playing XI to face the Cherries?
Aaron Ramsdale added another clean sheet to his name and that would have given him a lot of confidence. As for the full backs, it is quite likely that Arteta goes with the same combination of Ben White and Alex Zinchenko.
The centre back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel have returned to their best and that is great news for the club. They will still have to be careful with the visitors who do have some tricky players of their own.
In midfield, we could see Thomas Partey make a start after playing the second half in the match against Everton. This would also give Jorginho a rest in midfield and allow the Ghana international to be with his usual partner Granit Xhaka.
Further ahead, there may not be any changes made to the trio of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli. All three have been playing at a really high level and would want to keep that going. Their ability to rotate and find space is crucial in destabilizing any defence. If they can do that on Saturday, it will increase the hosts’ chances of winning.
Leandro Trossard has started the last two games playing as the striker or a false nine. Given how well it has worked, the manager is likely to stick with this decision. The Belgian is able to compliment others and give them more freedom.
Arsenal made light work of a tough challenge against Everton and should be happy with that performance. A repeat of that would be hugely appreciated as it can show City and other teams that the Gunners mean business.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup Against Bournemouth (4-2-3-1):
Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Alex Zinchenko, Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard
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