Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal predicted lineup vs Aston Villa: 4-3-3 rotation?

By Ross Kennerley

Arsenal players celebrate Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette scoring their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium in London on March 13, 2022. - - 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 Glyn KIRK / 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. / 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 GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal players celebrate Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette scoring their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium in London on March 13, 2022. - - 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 Glyn KIRK / 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. / 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 GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Laca
Arsenal predicted lineup vs Aston Villa: Will Mikel Arteta bring in Nicolas Pepe and Emile Smith Rowe in place of anyone for this Premier League match? (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) /

Arsenal are back in action on Saturday as they travel to Villa Park for a lunchtime Premier League kick-off with Aston Villa. Here is the predicted lineup.

Losing always hurts, even if you fall to defeat in the second leg of a tie you’ve progressed from, as nobody likes leaving a game empty handed. The fact Arsenal were competitive against Liverpool for 50 minutes makes it even tougher to swallow.

But there is no time to rest, quite literally.

Only 64 hours separate the Liverpool and Aston Villa kick-off times, meaning focus shifts entirely towards recovering from an energy sapping game and deciding who has the legs to start in what has now become the biggest match of the season for this young team.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Aston Villa: Will Mikel Arteta bring in Nicolas Pepe and Emile Smith Rowe in place of anyone for this Premier League match?

Mikel Arteta named the same lineup for the fourth match running in that 2-0 defeat, with Cedric keeping his place at right-back and Gabriel Martinelli doing likewise over Emile Smith Rowe at left-winger.

The Japanese international is back in training now, however, and despite not being named in his nation’s squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers, may be a surprise inclusion.

With Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Alexandre Lacazette being the three withdrawals on Wednesday the hope is that the trio were taken off with an eye on resting them for Saturday as opposed to picking up any niggles.

Can Arteta rotate for this game? Importantly, will he rotate? There are players desperate for involvement and given the short turnover time, he may well do so.

Arsenal, Rambo
Arsenal’s English goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale saves the ball from the path of Liverpool’s Portuguese striker Diogo Jota during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Liverpool. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Aaron Ramsdale (GK) – He, above all people, will be kicking himself about the first goal. Jota’s strike shouldn’t be able to nestle into the near post like that. Ramsdale has to pick himself up.

Cedric Soares (RB) – Despite being away with the fairies for the goals, apart from those defensive lapses it was a very decent performance from Cedric, who was squeaky clean on the ball and held his side well. It’s unlikely that Tomi will be back.

Benjamin White (CB) – Similarly to Cedric, White had a very strong game with the exception of a couple of loose moments, those which mask over the positives.

Gabriel (CB) – There will be no changes anywhere in central defence as Gabriel will need to play his part in securing another clean sheet.

Kieran Tierney (LB) – Was Arsenal’s best defender in midweek as he covered the ground around him expertly and gave the combination of Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane no joy down his left side.

Continued on next page…

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