Arsenal will be hoping to top their Champions League group when they take on Swiss holders Basel at St. Jakob-Park later tonight.
The North London club are currently behind Paris Saint-Germain on the head-to-head, and would need the Ligue 1 giants to slip up against Ludogorets in the other game.
The Gunners have been eliminated in the round of 16 in each of the last six seasons, and one would only hope that they avoid Barcelona, should they fail to take the top spot in Group A.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Wenger has been adamant to change his formation over the years, and it is predictable that the Frenchman will stick with his preferred 4-2-3-1 setup.
Lineup:
Goalkeeper:
Colombian ace David Ospina has been solely used in the Champions League this season with Petr Cech being the preferred choice in the Premier League. He will keep his place for the game after a couple of memorable performances in the competition.
Defence:
Wenger opted to play Gabriel in the right-back role over the weekend, and this is unlikely to change with Carl Jenkinson yet to regain his oldself. The reliable pair of Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi will occupy the heart of the defence with Kieran Gibbs earning yet another Champions League appearance at left-back.
Midfield:
Granit Xhaka and Francis Coquelin were handed the central midfield duties on Saturday, but there will be a change tonight with the latter suspended for the clash. The Frenchman will be replaced by Mohamed Elneny, who himself has recently recovered from a stomach bug.
Coming to the attacking midfield, Alex Iwobi will be offered another run on the left wing following his standout performance in what was a dismal 2-0 defeat for the Gunners against Southampton in the EFL Cup. Mesut Ozil has been a regular for the Gunners in both league and Europe, and he will definitely feature in the number ’10’ role with the ever-impressive Alexis Sanchez on the right side of the attack.
Forward:
France international Olivier Giroud has recently overcome a minor hamstring niggle, and it is predicted that he would get the nod for the centre-forward position. The 30-year-old has yet to start a league game for the Gunners this term, and this has brought up a sense of frustration for the marksman.
Prediction:
Arsenal 3-1 Basel
The Swiss champions have been a tough opposition for English clubs over the years, but Arsenal have something in themselves this season which would provide them the edge in this crucial encounter.
