Arsenal vs BATE Borisov: Predicted XI with all eyes on Aubameyang

Arsenal have a chance to fix this all and move on in the Europa League, so here is the predicted XI that Emery will most likely use to make it all happen.

Nobody likes the state of that first match against BATE Borisov, so there’s no point talking about it in the run-up to the return leg. Arsenal have a very clear objective cut out for them and there is literally no reason why they can’t see this one through by simply winning by two goals or more, with an emphasis on the latter, because this match is at the Emirates and this club – manager included – has shown a knack for taking swift revenge.

There are several absences to talk about going into this one though, and they could certainly alter the options that Unai Emery has at his disposal.

Sokratis is the non-long-term injury that will still see no availability in the match, with Holding, Bellerin and Welbeck obviously all still out for the rest of the season. And missing Sokratis is going to force Emery to get creative with this club’s set-up yet again.

Both Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil are a question mark in this one too, as they are both dealing with injuries that could keep them out in this one, a match that both of them would surely be dying to feature in.

And of course, Alexandre Lacazette will not be available for his atomic elbow in the first leg that earned him a straight red. Hard to fault him the frustration, but maybe there would have been better ways to handle it, as he has since openly acknowledged.

All things considered, Emery still has plenty of options to choose from, and, believe it or not, I think he will run with the back three yet again, for one specific reason, and make this a 3-4-3 set-up. More on that later, let’s start this predicted XI in goal.

Keeper

No reason to switch things up here. Petr Cech was up to the challenge in the first leg, but will obviously be hoping to keep out any dreaded away goals in the second leg.

Back three is next.