Arsenal vs Leeds predicted XI: Bring out the dead!

Attack

I would be massively surprised if either Lacazette or Aubameyang started. I just don’t see the need for it. They’ve both been working harder than they’ve worked since Unai Emery first took over and they’ve earned a break.

That leaves one man to take the starting striker job—Gabriel Martinelli. The man that we’ve missed so much. Solely because it’s hard not to see him out there. He hasn’t been healthy since Arteta arrived, meaning this will be the first chance to see what Arteta can make of him. And I don’t know about you, but that’s exciting. If Arteta made Aubameyang look like a new man, what’s he going to do to Martinelli?

On either side of him, I’m expecting Reiss Nelson to be called on, since he’s been dropped from the Premier League set up. He still looks a little shaky, and it’s going to come down to these secondary competitions to get him back into a place of confidence. Or, rather, to get him to a place of confidence at all, as I’m not sure we’ve ever seen it.

Lastly, I’m actually expecting Nicolas Pepe to get the start as well. He hasn’t played much in lieu of Reiss Nelson and speaking of confidence, Pepe needs it. So get him in there in this one and let him rock out.