Arsenal will be involved in a London derby on Saturday as they get ready to visit Brentford in what could prove to be a tricky fixture, so let’s take a look at the latest team news.
The north Londoners will be aware of how difficult it is to play the Bees as Thomas Frank’s team is well organised and difficult to break down. So far, the visitors have shown that they can get the result when needed and three points here would prove to be so crucial.
One player who will not be part of the squad is long-term absentee Jurrien Timber who will be out for a few more months. Thomas Partey has joined him on the treatment table as the midfielder could be out till the end of the year.
Mikel Arteta will be greatly boosted by the return of Gabriel Jesus who played during the week for Brazil. Though the forward might not start the game against Brentford, having him on the bench will increase the team’s chances of winning. Martin Odegaard and Ben White are also in contention, but it remains to be seen if the Spaniard will risk starting either of them.
Arsenal Fever View:
When facing a team such as the hosts, one area to be careful about is set pieces as Brentford are extremely strong in this aspect of the game. To be fair to the visitors, they have been defensively solid, but they should be a little more vigilant this weekend.
As for the attack, it can be argued that the middle of the pitch hasn’t been as friendly as it was to the north Londoners last season. One major reason for that is the absence of Partey who solved a lot of build-up issues with his sheer presence.
It is an important game for Aaron Ramsdale as well as the former numero uno will be playing instead of the ineligible David Raya. The former Sheffield United star will want to show his manager that he still has what it takes to be the first choice.
Arsenal need to be confident and not get bogged down by the incessant pressing that the hosts are going to provide. If they can do this, the technical quality present in the squad is enough to score goals and secure and the win.
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