Evening Standard
·4 December 2024
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·4 December 2024
Gunners hoping to be strengthened in midfield for visit of Man United
Arsenal have a number of doubts of key players heading into their Premier League showdown with Manchester United tonight.
The Gunners were without Mikel Merino, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Thomas Partey for Saturday’s win at West Ham, while Gabriel was forced off at half-time.
Manager Mikel Arteta was coy when updating reporters on his players during Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.
“We’re gonna have a meeting this afternoon,” he said. “We have done a training session.
“We monitored and kept some players away from certain activities. After that meeting I will decide which ones are fit and available and who will start. They all want to play.”
Arteta will, however, definitely be without Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu when his side host Manchester United this midweek. The full-backs are both out with knee injuries and are not close to returning to action.
Arsenal have won three games on the spin since returning from last month’s international break and they have scored 13 goals in that time. As a result, Arteta may well be reluctant to change a winning team.
Gabriel Martinelli could come back into the side on the left flank, though, in place of Leandro Trossard.
Jorginho impressed for Arsenal against West Ham
REUTERS
If fit, Thomas Partey may return at the base of midfield - although Jorginho excelled in his absence against West Ham.
The defence has started the last three games and looked settled, but Oleksandr Zinchenko is pushing for a start after a solid showing off the bench at the London Stadium.
Predicted Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Injured: Tomiyasu (knee), White (knee)
Doubts: Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Merino and Partey
Time and date: 8:15pm GMT tonight on Wednesday December 4, 2024
Venue: Emirates Stadium
How to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Referee: Sam Barrott
Arsenal squad from: Neto, Raya, Setford; Calafiori, Gabriel, Heaven, Kiwior, Saliba, Tierney, Timber, Zinchenko; Havertz, Jorginho, Lewis-Skelly, Merino, Nwaneri, Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Jesus, Martinelli, Saka, Sterling and Trossard.