Arsenal vs Qarabag predicted starting XI: Youth rules… right?

Fullbacks

Arsenal’s fullback situation has become a bit of a cluster of stress in recent weeks, helped on by injuries and the fact that I really don’t want to see Ainsley Maitland-Niles confined to a role as a fill-in fullback for the foreseeable future.

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That said, I would fully expect Maitland-Niles to be starting at leftback in this one, as I don’t think that Unai Emery has the resources to move Maitland-Niles into a central midfield position, despite the need for him to do so.

Maitland-Niles is an all-around athlete, so I have complete confidence in him to do the role justice, I’m just thinking about his future and, to invoke the name again, how it parallels to the Ox.

At right back, look for Carl Jenkinson to get another run out. As it turns out, it’s actually a bit of a blessing that he stayed around, for situations such as this. Jenko has been a reliable presence back there, and if he can replicate that here, helping the stoic Maitland-Niles to shut down the wide attacking areas, then continuing the unbeaten streak is looking easier by the position.

Let’s talk the big question mark – centerback.