Arsenal predicted lineup vs Man City: Will Covid impact 4-2-3-1 selections?

Arsenal are set to kick off the new year in daunting fashion as they host Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium with a skeleton coaching staff. Here is the predicted lineup.

Normally a case of running through who Mikel Arteta is able to select, on this occasion the person doing the choosing won’t even be in the picture.

Testing positive for Covid alongside a number of his staff, Albert Stuivenburg will instead lead the team from the touchline in Arteta’s absence, while academy boss Per Mertesacker may also be involved if needs be. Jack Wilshere as well, maybe? Would be fun.

As for the players, there is always huge uncertainty heading into Premier League fixtures of late with Covid tests performed multiple times daily and therefore last minute withdrawals are not unheard of.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Man City: Covid impacts 4-2-3-1 selections as Mikel Arteta misses out with decisions to make on Emile Smith Rowe

One of the players who did contract Covid but is back in action is Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who was pictured in training. However, he is the subject of heavy speculation over a move to Roma.

The right-back situation looks no closer to be being resolved with the trio of Cedric Soares, Calum Chambers and Takehiro Tomiyasu all testing positive prior to the 5-0 win over Norwich. Isolation rules in the UK state that players can quarantine for seven days as opposed to ten so long as they produce two negative tests, yet even still City should come too soon for all of them.

What about actual football decisions, then? Arteta has overseen some fine performances of late and will be woe to make wholesale changes to a winning team, even if his hands may well be tied in that regard. Emile Smith Rowe is arguably the biggest decision of all.

With three goals in three substitute appearances it will be tough to keep leaving him out of the team. He can’t do any more than he currently is.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Aaron Ramsdale (GK) – If all goes well the Arsenal stopper could go one behind Ederson in the clean sheets table, despite playing three fewer matches.

Benjamin White (RB) – Tomiyasu won’t have been able to train at all having tested positive for Covid and even therefore it’s a lot to ask of him to come back into the team. White did well at right-back up in Norfolk and his profile suits the position well.

Rob Holding (CB) – Holding against City? This is a story we’ve read many times before and it almost always has an unhappy ending. New Year, new me, eh?

Gabriel Magalhaes (CB) – Gabriel thrives on the physical battles he has with strikers trying to run the channels but up against a side without a recognised No. 9 and intense movement across the front his task will be very different.

Kieran Tierney (LB) – Were the Wolves match not postponed then Tierney would have been surely rested for it with an eye on starting in this one. Nothing changes now and he’ll keep his spot.

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Midfielders

Thomas Partey (CM) – Arsenal have been firm on their decision not to deny any player the opportunity to represent their country. It’s the proudest honour a footballer can have and that should always be their right.

……but, if they can be kept on board for a few days longer than initially scheduled then it isn’t so bad either. With Partey’s departure delayed it means he will start in this one. No doubt.

Granit Xhaka (CM) – Foreseeing, and looking forward to, a future beyond Xhaka while also noting that he is playing well and is one half of the best midfield partnership at the club presently are not mutually exclusive.

The Partey and Xhaka duo is steadily improving.

Martin Odegaard (AM) – The absolute bare minimum for December is that Odegaard is nominated for the Premier League player of the month.

In outstanding form of late the Norwegian has well and truly silenced the fools who felt his signing was uninspiring and that his talent was a mirage. Absolutely magnificent form recently.

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Forwards

Bukayo Saka (RW) – Taken off before the end at Carrow Road, it looked as if Arteta had his eye on the Wolves game 45 hours later and wanted to give Saka all the rest he could before another inevitable start.

That’s now turned out to be additional rest on top of a six-day break in matches, so the star boy will be fit and firing on Saturday.

Alexandre Lacazette (ST) – Playing the full 90 minutes against Norwich strongly suggested that Eddie Nketiah would come into the No. 9 position against Wolves to give Lacazette the rest he needs as he regains his fitness.

Vital to this team, to the attack and to the attitude on the pitch, there is no way he isn’t featuring.

Gabriel Martinelli (LW) – It’s a clean sweep with the exact team that played against Norwich starting in this one. Well, that’s the prediction, anyway.

Continuity plays a part but so does raw pace. Martinelli is faster than Smith Rowe and with Arsenal likely to have their best opportunities in quick transitions that exploit the spaces in behind, Martinelli might be the wiser choice.