Arsenal travel to Belarus this midweek to face BATE Borisov in the UEFA Europa League. Following a hard-fought 2-0 win over West Brom on the weekend, Arsene Wenger is expected to reshuffle his starting lineup against the Belarussian outfit on Thursday night. Lots of young players are expected to be given a starting berth in the team as well.
Let’s take a look at the projected Arsenal lineup to face BATE Borisov this week.
Goalkeeper: David Ospina will replace Petr Cech in goal. The Colombian has been appointed as the regular in the cup competitions this season. He’ll be seeking his first clean sheet in this year’s competition.
Center Back(R): Rob Holding will get a starting berth in the team, in place of Mustafi. Holding has a point to prove as he aims to make a breakthrough this season in the Arsenal first team.
Center Back: Partnering the young Rob Holding in defence will be the veteran centre-back Per Mertesacker. His presence will be crucial as he looks to lead the Arsenal defence against the sharp attacking Borisov side.
Center Back(L): Monreal is expected to retain his place in the starting lineup, from the weekend fixture against West Brom. The Spanish International will look to provide sharp passes to help Arsenal progress through the opposition lines.
Central Defensive Midfielder(R): Mohamed Elneny could make an appearance against Borisov. The Egyptian has been somewhat of a handy player for Arsene Wenger this season, often aiding the Gunners from the bench.
Central Defensive Midfielder(L): Brace yourselves you Gunners fans! Because Jack Wilshere might make his first start in the Europa League this season. Despite all his talents, the English midfielder could really make an impact at Arsenal. He’ll be looking to prove a point with a good performance against the Belarussian outfit.
Right Wingback: Young talent Ainsley Maitland-Niles could continue to be a regular in the Europa League for Arsenal this season. The 20-year-old will be looking to make an early impact for the Gunners.
Attacking Midfielder/Winger(R): Alexis Sanchez is expected to be given a breather as young prodigy Alex Iwobi is expected to replace the Chilean in offensive zones. Iwobi’s directness and mazy runs could be useful for the Gunners.
Attacking Midfielder/Winger(L): Aaron Ramsey is also set to make way for Theo Walcott in the attacking midfield position. The 28-year-old will look to use his pace to good effect against the weak looking Borisov defence.
Left Wingback: 17-year-old youth prodigy Reiss Nelson is poised to make his professional debut after being subbed on for the final few minutes against Koln two weeks ago. The dribbling king of Arsenal youth academy is expected to make a huge impact against Borisov this week.
Striker: Finally, Olivier Giroud will lead the Arsenal frontline this midweek. Giroud;s contributions to Arsenal were largely overshadowed by the brilliant performances of Alexandre Lacazette this season. The Frenchman will be fit and raring to make a difference.
This is how they might line up:
