On 15th September, Arsenal are going to face their arch-rivals, Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. This can be the debut match for some Arsenal players.
Since the transfer of Raheem Sterling from Chelsea, the Arsenal fans have been eagerly waiting to see him in action. There is another new face in the squad, and it is the Brazilian goalkeeper, Neto. The ex-Barcelona goalkeeper joined Arsenal on loan from Bournemouth.
In this summer transfer window, the Gunners also signed Mikel Merino. He is an exceptional midfielder. Previously, he has played in the Premier League for Newcastle United, on loan. After that, the Magpies refused to sign him on a permanent deal. So, he went back to Real Sociedad.
On the other hand, Kieran Tierney has returned to Arsenal from his loan spell at Sociedad. According to football.london, the Scottish left-back will be out of the first eleven because of a knee injury.
Predicted lineup against Spurs
In the attack, Bukayo Saka will be expected to lead the line, alongside Kai Havertz. Mikel Arteta can include either Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard on the left flank. They also have quality alternatives on the bench that includes Gabriel Jesus and new signing, Raheem Sterling.
In midfield, they have world-class options like captain Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, and Jorginho. However, with Martin Odegaard picking up a nasty injury in the game against Austria and with Declan Rice not available due to suspension, we might see a very new midfield trio for the Gunners. On top of that, new signing Mikel Merino has picked up a shoulder injury. So, we are expecting he will also be unavailable for this game. On top of that, new signing Mikel Merino also picked up a shoulder injury and is set to miss the clash as well.
Therefore for this match, Mikel Arteta might be forced to go for not a very tried and tested midfield, which may include Thomas Partey, Leandro Trossard and Jorginho. Trossard’s versatility will benefit Mikel Arteta a lot in a such a crisis, with the Belgian player being well and truly capable of playing as a number 10 as well.
In the defence, William Saliba will be leading the defensive line along with his partner, Gabriel Magalhaes. Jurrien Timber is expected on the left-back position, with Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Jakub Kiwior also available on the bench. The reliable Ben White will be starting at the right-back spot. There are fewer chances that new sign-in, Riccardo Calafiori, will recover from his calf injury in time to face the Coys.
After the departure of Aaron Ramsdale, David Raya has become the absolute first-choice goalkeeper for the Gunners. Arsenal have signed former Barcelona goalkeeper, Neto, to be Raya’s backup.
Predictions for the match
Everyone is expecting that this Derby is going to be an entertaining one, as it has always been. Since the last season, Spurs have thrived under the management of Ange Postecoglou. His team is known for playing dangerous counter-attacking football. They have an available attack full of world-class players like captain Son Heung-Min, Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison
So, the Gunners must take care of the attacking transitions. If they mistakenly give even a little bit of space to these players, they can severely punish Arsenal.
Despite Arsenal’s injury crisis in the midfield, we predict that Arsenal might win this match, with a scoreline of 2-1, based on the recent form of both the teams.
In recent years, the Gunners have emerged as the new contenders for the Premier League title. They are playing beautiful and effective football. If the can maintain their current form in the league, they might certainly achieve their dream of winning the title.
After the Community Shield win against Manchester United, Pep Guardiola was asked about Arsenal’s condition, and he said that the Gunners have maintained the same tempo just like last season. The Manchester City boss also believes that Mikel Arteta’s team is getting stronger each and every season.
There is another team that can win the Premier League, and it is Liverpool. The Reds have shown a glimpse of their talent with the start of their new era under Arne Slot. The Reds have won all three of their opening games, scoring seven goals and conceding not even a single one. This year’s title race will be an interesting one to watch.
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