Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Chelsea: Boxing Day Clash

Arsenal host Chelsea in the Premier League on Boxing Day. Here is the Gunners’ predicted lineup.

Christmas is here and we can forget about the trials and tribulations of supporting Arsenal for a few short hours, before delving into the very depths of football once more on Boxing Day.

It’s not just any fixture awaiting Mikel Arteta’s side either, as Chelsea head to the Emirates with both sides in vastly contrasting positions in the Premier League table.

The Gunners are in free fall, languishing in 15th place in the table, while Frank Lampard’s men have righted wrongs of last year through substantial investment, including the free transfer of Thiago Silva – a man who’s helped arrest their defensive woes.

Chelsea are also the second top scorers in the division with 29 goals in 14 matches thus far, while Arsenal can’t buy a goal from open player, let alone a win, netting on a measly 12 occasions.

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We come back to the old adage of form going out of the window for derby matches, one of few straws to clutch since Arsenal have now gone seven league outings without victory.

There are some positive notes for supporters to lean on for Saturday, none more so than the return of Gabriel Martinelli, who it’s hoped will be fit and able for Boxing Day, the same applying for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Despite being publicly backed numerous times by the club, Arteta has to oversee victories somewhere or his job becomes at risk of being untenable. It is, as has been said every week this season, a huge match.

Here is Arsenal’s predicted lineup.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Bernd Leno (GK) – Wrap him in cotton wool. It was a huge show of faith to play Alex Runarsson in the Carabao Cup final clash with Manchester City, and he was quite atrocious. Clearly out of his depth and some way off a senior place, Leno coming in for this one might be easiest decision all season.

Rob Holding (CB) – Didn’t play in the quarter-final and has cemented his place as a first team regular in the top-flight, so there is little doubting that Rob Holding will assume his usual spot in the team.

Gabriel Magalhaes (CB) – Arsenal’s best defender has to play. Arteta knows this, hence why he got the full 90 minutes against City.

He starts here too, potentially tasked with handling the height and physical presence of Olivier Giroud. That would be some battle.

Kieran Tierney (CB) – Was given a rest in midweek so is nailed on to play on Saturday, with his role likely to be at centre-back where he’s played in the past few fixtures.

Arteta has decided to revert to the system he used to win him the FA Cup, where Keiran Tierney’s impressive one-on-one defending was paramount.