Arsenal return to the Emirates on Saturday where they face Brighton and Hove Albion after a devastating defeat to Crystal Palace, so let’s take a look at the team news.
After a few seasons, the Gunners now find themselves within touching distance of the top four, but they cannot afford any more slip-ups. It is important that they bounce back after the loss on Monday and look to pile the pressure on the teams around them.
As for the team news, there is a lot to worry about for the north Londoners. The biggest absentee is Scottish full-back Kieran Tierney who is most likely out for the rest of the season. He is set to undergo knee surgery, and this is a huge blow for the team.
The other players that could miss out are Thomas Partey who will be assessed ahead of the game. The other is Takehiro Tomiyasu who has missed a significant amount of action already. The Japan international could be available after next week’s match against Southampton.
Arsenal Fever View:
The fight to finish in the top four was never going to be easy and the Gunners would have been aware of it. Now, Mikel Arteta has the tough task of rallying his troops to focus on the games ahead.
This will include having to shuffle the team around to make up for those who could be missing. Now would be a good time for the likes of Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares to step up and show what they are made of.
The visitors are excellent when it comes to keeping hold of the ball and they do have attackers who can cause havoc. The north Londoners need to be careful that they do not make any defensive mistakes.
With just under ten games remaining in the season, this is as good a chance for Arsenal to finish in the Champions League spots. But with the teams around them not dropping too many points, it has made the challenge that much harder. It would mean so much to the project Arteta is putting together if they get back among Europe’s elite. And all of that starts by beating Brighton on Saturday.
Read More: Ian Wright optimistic about Nuno Tavares’ Arsenal future
