Arsenal predicted lineup vs Sheffield United: Martinelli to start?

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, Gabriel Martinelli — Arsenal predicted lineup vs Sheffield United: Gabriel Martinelli to start with Nicolas Pepe up front as Mikel Arteta makes changes ahead of Europa League clash with Slavia Prague. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Arsenal travel to Bramall Lane on Sunday to face relegation doomed Sheffield United in the Premier League. Here is the predicted lineup.

On Thursday Arsenal face their fate. Lose in Prague or even draw 0-0 and the season is effectively over. Beyond that, what they club are capable of doing in the summer transfer market alters drastically with no European football set to grace the Emirates Stadium.

It’s all on that fixture.

So what better way to prepare than to face one of the worst sides in the history of the Premier League? Sheffield United have been nothing short of disastrous this campaign with just four wins all season, and coming into this fixture they sit 15 points adrift of safety with eight matches to play.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Sheffield United: Gabriel Martinelli to start with Nicolas Pepe up front?

They’ve parted with Chris Wilder already having failed to recapture the incredible season they had upon their return to the top division, with Paul Heckingbottom overseeing the inevitable return to the Championship.

Mikel Arteta has injuries galore to contend with, as the news of Emile Smith Rowe being unlikely to face the Blades adds to his growing injury list.

David Luiz and Kieran Tierney are already unavailable with the pair not due back for a good few weeks, while the latter may even have played his final match this season, depending on his recovery.

Martin Odegaard was sorely missed against Slavia Prague and his presence will not be gracing the south Yorkshire turf either, meaning Arteta will have an interesting decision to make in the No. 10 role for Sunday’s clash.

Having changed his personnel around for midweek, it will be key in his thinking that he must rest those preparing for the trip to Czech Republic while also balancing quality, even if the players at his disposal should all be capable of seeing past a quite dreadful team.

Here is the lineup.

Arsenal, Pablo Mari — BURNLEY, ENGLAND – MARCH 06: Pablo Mari of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Burnley and Arsenal at Turf Moor on March 06, 2021. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Bernd Leno (GK) – Unfairly criticised for Slavia Prague’s equaliser on Thursday, Leno nonetheless didn’t cover himself in glory with some poor distribution out from the back. In any case, he’s still the number one.

Calum Chambers (RB) – Whisper it quietly but ‘Bellerin did alright on Thursday‘. It’s generally not allowed to praise the Spaniard without fear of media lashings, and given his okay performance he will likely be rested for the weekend with the now fit Chambers coming into the team.

Rob Holding (CB) – With Luiz out he is the only option to come into the right side of central defence and it’s a place he’ll keep until the Brazilian returns. However, he might need to ease up on the long balls over the top, they weren’t Robaldinho-esque against Slavia Prague.

Pablo Mari (CB) – Gabriel is the better centre-back of the two – in this writer’s opinion – but as a pairing Mari and Holding are better suited. They complement each other and add security in aerial situations.

Cedric Soares (LB) – If he hadn’t have messed up in the dying embers of the midweek draw then Cedric would have left the Emirates feeling he’d done OK on the night. His limitations are clear and nobody will disagree, but he’s all Arsenal have at the moment with Bukayo Saka needed up front.

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.

Arsenal, Nicolas Pepe — LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 22: Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal is replaced by Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal during the Carabao Cup Quarter Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on December 22, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Forwards

Nicolas Pepe (RW) – Came on and completely changed the complexion of the game with Slavia Prague as he willingly ran beyond and never stood still so as to pull the opposition out of position. His goal was high quality too, as he showed pace and precision to dink the ball over Kolar.

With Saka in need of a rest he could play in the Englishman’s stead.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (ST)*- Is this an ideal fixture for Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng? Sometimes there is overthinking in matches where given how deep the Blades’ block will be it won’t provide the captain with the space he needs to attack. That is, after all, his skill set.

However, good players beat bad players. Simple as that. This is a woefully leaky defence coming up against a striker of top quality. Arteta will have a fresh Aubameyang to choose from and he’ll do so.

*Update: Aubameyang has since been ruled out with ‘the flu’. Yes, really.

Gabriel Martinelli (LW) – Willian offered nothing on top of the nothingness he’s already offered against Slavia Prague since he took the Piccadilly Line up to Islington, and Arteta’s reluctance to field Gabriel Martinelli must come to an end at some point.

Where better than away at the bottom side in the division to reintegrate him into the starting lineup? Furthermore, Willian will probably get the nod on Thursday so the decision seems likely. Martinelli will be who supporters have their eyes on.