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Arsenal predicted lineup vs Sheffield United: Martinelli to start?

By Ross Kennerley

Arsenal's Brazilian striker Gabriel Martinelli (R) runs with the ball during the English League Cup quarter final football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium, in London on December 22, 2020. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal's Brazilian striker Gabriel Martinelli (R) runs with the ball during the English League Cup quarter final football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium, in London on December 22, 2020. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Thomas Partey
Arsenal’s Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey (L) pressures Slavia Prague’s Senegalese striker Abdallah Sima (R) during the UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg football match between Arsenal and Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. (Photo by Ian KINGTON / AFP) (Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images) /

Midfielders

Thomas Partey (CM) – This place would have been occupied by someone else but Arteta’s comments in the build up made it clear that Thomas Partey would get the nod in this one:

"“Hopefully we will see the best version of Thomas at Sheffield United on Sunday and against Slavia Prague next week,” he said, via Goal. “Now that he has got a sequence of two or three games I think we’ll see him finishing the season in a really strong way.”"

Partey has been criticised, rightly, for some poor quality on the ball, but take him out of the team and watch Arsenal crumble. What he does in a defensive sense is imperative, he just needs to work on the final action.

Mohamed Elneny (CM) – Albeit not needing one, seemingly ever, Granit Xhaka could make way for Mohamed Elneny for this match purely to give him some rest ahead of the return Europa League leg. Elneny and Partey are quite a negative partnership on paper so the Ghanaian may be given greater licence to keep the Blades midfield pegged back.

Dani Ceballos (AM) – Who is looking forward to this? One thing you can say to provide some encouragement is that it was this stadium last season where Ceballos scored in injury time to book Arsenal’s place at Wembley en route to lifting the FA Cup.

He hasn’t excelled in this role but with Smith Rowe and Odegaard absent it will be another chance for him to stake a claim – even if that ship has sailed.

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