After being eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Liverpool, Arsenal will look to pick themselves up when they take on Burnley on Sunday. It is a must-win game for Mikel Arteta’s men, who have slipped to sixth in the Premier League table. Another mishap against the Clarets could help Manchester United move on top while both Tottenham and West Ham can extend their lead in fourth and fifth positions respectively.
Predicted Arsenal Lineup Vs Burnley
Defence
Cedric Soares, Bernd Leno and Rob Holding are likely to miss out against Burnley due to injuries, leaving Arteta with very few defensive options at his disposal.
Most of the Arsenal defenders including Takehiro Tomiyasu looked tired in the defeat to Liverpool. But with the Gunners set to be given a two-week break after Sunday, Arteta won’t be averse to taking a few risks, as Tomiyasu continues at right-back.
There should be no changes in central defence with Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White once again forming the heart of the four-man backline. Rob Holding is an alternative should Arteta look to ring in the changes. The same can be said for Nuno Tavares as well, with Kieran Tierney remaining a guaranteed starter at left-back.
Aaron Ramsdale, meanwhile, will be hoping for a quieter evening up against the Burnley attack, as he seeks his first Premier League clean sheet since Boxing Day.
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Midfield
Arsenal have both their premier midfielders in Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka suspended. And with Ainsley Maitland-Niles leaving the club in the summer, it leaves Mikel Arteta with no option but to shift back to a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Albert Sambi Lokonga operating as the lone number six.
Lokonga should be accompanied by the advanced midfield duo of Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe. It won’t be surprising to see the formation shifting into a 4-3-3 during defensive phases, though it remains to be seen how quickly these two can adapt to their makeshift role.
Attack
Arsenal are missing some key players even in the attack. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been ruled out while Nicolas Pepe is currently on international duty with Ivory Coast.
Therefore, Arteta should persist with the offensive trifecta of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, whereas the Arsenal frontline should be led by Alexander Lacazette.
