Freddie Ljungberg will be aiming to register his first win as Arsenal’s interim coach when his side travels to London Stadium to face West Ham United on Monday. The Gunners are winless in their last nine matches in all competitions and are coming on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. Hence, a win could be imperative as they look to recover from a poor start to the campaign.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Defence
Ljungberg could be forced to make a few changes in defence after a calamitous display in midweek. While Hector Bellerin is expected to retain his place at right-back, despite a disastrous performance against Brighton, Kieran Tierney may return to the starting lineup.
The Scot could replace Sead Kolasinac at left-back after the Bosnian was hauled off against Brighton during the end due to an injury. Tierney will be hoping to make a difference down the left-hand channel.
David Luiz, meanwhile, could be demoted to the bench due to his sloppy performances throughout the campaign. Calum Chambers is the likely alternative, though Shkodran Mustafi is also an option. The ex-Southampton star is set to partner Sokratis Papastathopoulos at the heart of Arsenal’s four-man backline.
There is no one replacing Bernd Leno in goal. The German has been one of Arsenal’s better performers this season and will be looking to keep a clean sheet on Monday.
Midfield
Granit Xhaka is a secured starter, having performed really well under Ljungberg. The Swiss international has gained a lot of confidence and is expected to lead the Arsenal midfield. He could be partnered by Lucas Torreira, who might once again get the nod ahead of Matteo Guendouzi.
The Uruguayan impressed against Brighton in midweek and tenacious style of play could be useful in dealing with a pragmatic West Ham side. Dani Ceballos, meanwhile, will continue his spell on the sidelines.
Attack
Ljungberg could stick to his 4-2-3-1 despite being slammed by fans and experts for his tactics in midweek. Joe Willock, however, might be sacrificed at the expense of Nicolas Pepe, who made quite a mark after appearing as a sub in the last game.
The Ivorian will be deployed at right-wing, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang operating on the opposite flank. As for Mesut Ozil, he is guaranteed to start as the lone attacking midfielder.
And finally, the Arsenal attack will be led by Alexandre Lacazette. The Frenchman will be desperate to add to his scoring tally after a frustrating game against Brighton.
