3 non-negotiable starters for Arsenal to keep their unbeaten Champions League run

On paper, Arsenal's path to the Champions League Final looks relatively clear, but now they must seize this opportunity with both hands out on the grass. The Gunners became the first side in the admittedly short history of the league phase to pick up maximum points, notably enjoying victories over Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan and others.

So, Mikel Arteta's team have landed on the easier side of the draw, hoping to face either Sporting CP or Bodø/Glimt in the quarter-finals, before Barcelona, Atleti, Newcastle or Spurs would await in the semis. First and foremost, they must take care of Bayer Leverkusen, traveling to North Rhine-Westphalia on Wednesday, before the pair meet again in North London only six nights later.

The clubs have only ever met once before. This came during the hugely popular second group phase of the Champions League in 2002, drawing 1-1 at the BayArena before a 4-1 hammering at Highbury that featured an astonishing goal by Dennis Bergkamp. That year, die Werkself reached the final at Hampden, beaten by a legendary Zinédine Zidane's volley for Real Madrid, with Arsenal hoping to be the side who remain on course for Budapest this time round.

If the Gunners are going to claim a first-leg advantage in Germany, here are three players Mikel Arteta simply must include in his starting lineup.

3 unbenchable players for Arsenal in the Champions League

Gabriel

If Arsenal do go on to win the Premier League title, and potentially other trophies too, Gabriel is their leading contender to pick up plenty of individual accolades. During last Wednesday's battling 1-0 victory over Brighton, the Brazilian was very much at his best. He accumulated 17 defensive contributions, including 14 clearances, the most by any player in any Premier League match for over a decade, according to Squawka.

Overall, despite suffering a thigh injury against Senegal in November, only four outfielders have racked up more minutes for Arsenal across all competitions this season, very much one of the first names on the team sheet. As well as being a rock at the back, he has four goals to his name this season, on target against Newcastle, Atlético Madrid, Aston Villa and Bournemouth. So, one could argue that Gabriel is the Gunners' most-important player, certainly so in both penalty areas.

Declan Rice

Another one of the very first names on the team sheet is Declan Rice. The combination alongside Martín Zubimendi has been the bedrock of Arteta's team this season, forming a fantastic partnership from day one. Both though do look a bit knackered right now, but it is no wonder:

Note: Statistics courtesy of PremierLeague.com.

Amazingly, two of the players in the top seven for total kilometers covered this season are Arsenal's midfield duo, with Zubimendi leading the way. Thus, neither have been at the peak of their powers in recent weeks, but both were rewarded with a weekend off, given that Arteta's team faced Mansfield Town in the FA Cup on Saturday lunchtime.

Thus, the duo will be recharged and ready to go in Leverkusen come Wednesday. Especially considering that Mikel Merino is sidelined, Rice is irreplaceable in this team. He ranks second in the Premier League this season when it comes to big chances created, behind only Bruno Fernandes, so his out of possession awareness, on the ball quality and set-piece delivery are all things this team cannot do without.

Bukayo Saka

As we approach the business end of the season, there are signs that Bukayo Saka is rediscover his best form. Against Brighton, marking the occasion of his 300th appearance for the club, while donning the captain's armband, the Starboy's strike was enough to secure the points in Sussex. Despite being far from at his best, Saka's numbers this season speak for themselves:

Note: Stats via FBref, SofaScore, Understat & Premier League.

Despite the general view that Saka's form has been underwhelming, he ranks very highly for a wide-variety of attacking metrics. Only Erling Haaland has recorded more touches in the penalty area, while Saka is also in the top five for successful dribbles, open-play crosses, chances created, and key passes.

This is not to mention how dangerous Saka is when it comes to set-pieces, which is Arsenal's most fruitful route to goal. He also boasts a very impressive Champions League record, netting 12 times in 24 outings, so Saka has to be in the lineup come Wednesday.