Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal Vs Blackpool: Predicted starting XI – Here comes the youth

By Andrew Dowdeswell

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal in action during the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Arsenal and Qarabag FK at Emirates Stadium on December 13, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal in action during the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Arsenal and Qarabag FK at Emirates Stadium on December 13, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Nacho Monreal
CARDIFF, WALES – SEPTEMBER 02: Nacho Monreal of Arsenal celebrates victory after the Premier League match between Cardiff City and Arsenal FC at Cardiff City Stadium on September 2, 2018 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /

Centre-Backs

I am sure that Unai Emery would love to start Konstantinos Mavropanos or Rob Holding here. Unfortunately, both are out injured, with Holding done for the year. Shkodran Mustafi is also a major doubt per Emery’s pre-match press conference, while Laurent Koscielny is unlikely to be risked given the extent of his playing time after seven months on the sidelines.

That leaves just one fully fit centre-back to play. Sokratis will almost certainly start. Emery may have wanted to rest him, but thanks to some serious injury problems, he simply won’t have the opportunity. Thankfully, there is no midweek game, so Sokratis will have a week off to recover before next weekend’s trip to West Ham.

His partner will most likely be between Koscielny and Nacho Monreal, another who is just coming back from injury. The Spaniard has been absent throughout the Christmas period but is being assessed ahead of the trip to Blackpool. I predict that Monreal will start with Emery desperate to rest Koscielny, but, in reality, it is a complete toss-up.