The 3 biggest position battles at Arsenal after the international break

It has felt like an age since Arsenal have been in action. Well, with nine matches coming up in the space of just four weeks, the grind is about to start all over again. So, ahead of Saturday's Premier League return against Leeds United, which three positions in Mikel Arteta's team have the most competition?

Right-back: Jurriën Timber vs Ben White

Could Mikel Arteta soon be in the rare and privileged position of having multiple right-back options. Across their more than three years together at the club, it feels as though Benjamin White and Jurriën Timber are never fit at the same time. The former picked up an injury at the Stadium of Light, meaning the latter had to be thrown on, before starting for the first time since 14 March at Brighton.

However, there is optimism that both will be fit this weekend, White has had the international break to recuperate, while Timber started the Netherlands' 2-2 draw with Greece in Thessaloniki last Sunday, deployed as a centre-back by Xavi. White was excellent to start this season, so will probably get the nod, but what a luxury it would be for Arteta to be able to rotate the pair for one-another.

Left-back: Riccardo Calafiori vs Piero Hincapié

On the opposite side, Arteta also has two outstanding left-backs. Riccardo Calafiori has been sublime to begin this season, starting all five Premier League matches, bagging an assist in both of the first two, as. well as scoring just 23 seconds into the FA Community Shield in Cardiff. He then started Italy's first and third matches of this window, bagging his first Azzurri goal against Türkiye on Monday.

Meantime, Piero Hincapié has not been away with Ecuador, which is probably for the best, considering la Selección have been over in South Korea and Japan. He sat out these internationals due to a muscular injury, but has been in full training this week. For now, Calafiori has to be first-choice, but Hincapié certainly deserves plenty of minutes going forward.

Central midfield: Six players for three spots

The most competitive and congested area of the Arsenal squad has to be midfield. Against Brighton last time out, we saw the Declan Rice, Bruno Guimarães and Martin Ødegaard midfield trio from the start for the first time, but that game, fair to say, did not go to plan.

Prior to that, Myles Lewis-Skelly had been excellent, and perhaps what he offers was only truly appreciated once he was not there. Meantime, having been one of the first names on the team sheet a year ago, Martín Zubimendi has come off the bench in every Premier League game to date, his importance having very much diminished.

We are yet to even mention Mikel Merino, who scored three goals off the bench across Spain's last two matches, including a brace in Split on Tuesday, featuring a very late winner. Assuming Eberechi Eze will now start matches on the left, with Christos Tzolis currently sidelined, there are six top-class players vying for three positions.

Of course, given the hectic schedule, everyone is going to see minutes. However, for the truly big games, Bayern Munich and Liverpool jump off the page, is the Rice-Bruno-Ødegaard triumvirate still Arteta's preference, or can someone else force their way in?

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