Arsenal predicted lineup vs Leicester: 4-4-2 with Lacazette?

Arsenal take on Leicester this Saturday in a crunch Premier League clash that could assert Arsenal as genuine European contenders, or Conference League scrappers. Here is the predicted lineup.

Hyperbolic? You bet. But from the psychological aspect what transpires at the King Power Stadium will have a huge impact on how Arsenal are perceived from the outside looking in, both from a supporters’ and a rivals’s perspective.

How does Mikel Arteta go about achieving that? Well, it’s now eight matches unbeaten in all competitions and not once in that run has the manager selected the same team in consecutive fixtures.

There have been changes of formation, personnel and tactics, so if anyone can confidently claim they know what to expect they might be jumping the gun a touch.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Leicester: Will Arteta go with the 4-4-2 formation and keep Alexandre Lacazette in the team?

It’s not been all on Arteta, of course. Injuries and suspensions have ruled players out, with the latest hindrance being a stomach bug that has affected many in the camp.

Benjamin White and Pablo Mari have felt the impact of it, while Arteta added in his pre-match press conference that others were showing signs of it. Add to that the injuries sustained to Martin Odegaard and Kieran Tierney, and changes are then somewhat inevitable.

What about keeping things as they were? The win over Aston Villa was the most complete performance of the season and a certain French striker will feel he’s done more than enough to keep his spot in the team.

Are we in for another surprise with a 4-1-4-1? Will Sambi partner Thomas Partey in midfield? Is Martin Odegaard going to get another shot in the No. 10? Will it be 4-4-2 (it’s not actually 4-4-2)?

Let’s get predicting.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Aaron Ramsdale (GK) – He is the number one. There really isn’t much else to say other than how Bernd Leno showed against Leeds why he’s good with the ball being fired at him but less impressive when he’s got it at his feet. All of which is fairly well known by now.

Takehiro Tomiyasu (RB) – Left out of the midweek squad entirely, Tomiyasu got his biggest taste yet of playing like a more orthodox right-back in the win over Villa. Tasked with pressing higher and overlapping more than usual, he did a fine job too.

Benjamin White (CB) – Arteta said in his press conference that White hadn’t trained, yet footage emerged of him online hopping and skipping with the rest of the team in what looked an awful lot like training. It might only be light warm-ups, but he should be fine anyway.

Gabriel (CB) – The defender who was given the day off in the Carabao Cup, Gabriel is currently storming his way to Player of the Month recognition with a string of excellent performances since recovering from injury. Jamie Vardy will be a handful once again.

Nuno Tavares (LB) – The way Arteta spoke about Kieran Tierney, and how Sead Kolasinac was selected against Leeds in midweek, suggests that the Scot won’t be back in time for Saturday, which means a second Premier League start for Nuno Tavares.

Continued…