29/03/2024

How Arsenal could lineup to face Liverpool at the Emirates

Viernes 22 de Diciembre del 2017

How Arsenal could lineup to face Liverpool at the Emirates

We take a look at how Arsene Wenger could line his team up at the Emirates

We take a look at how Arsene Wenger could line his team up at the Emirates

The big questions surrounding Arsenal’s lineup against Liverpool centre around Arsene Wenger’s defence and what formation the Gunners boss will opt for.

Shkodran Mustafi has been out with a thigh injury since the Manchester United defeat, but Wenger stated after the midweek win against West Ham that the German centreback should be OK to feature on Friday night.

Should that be the case, then it could allow the Arsenal boss to revert to the three at the back system he had been using prior to Mustafi’s injury.

But Wenger has always stated that a back four is the way he prefers to set up his side, so it will be interesting to see what the Frenchman opts for.

The likelihood is he will stick with a back four, possibly with Nacho Monreal moving across to left-back, with Mustafi and Koscielny restored as a centre-back partnership and Hector Bellerin on the right.

With Sead Kolasinac seemingly being given a bit of a breather in the Premier League, Ainsley Maitland-Niles has started the last two games in the league at left-back, earning plenty of praise from Wenger.

The Arsenal boss has stated that he would have no concerns playing Maitland-Niles against Liverpool’s formidable attack, but he is still expected to favour Monreal.

Arsene Wenger with Ainsley Maitland-Niles

In midfield there is no Aaron Ramsey due to injury, so there is a place up for grabs alongside Granit Xhaka and Jack Wilshere who will certainly start.

Both Alex Iwobi and Francis Coquelin trained on Thursday after injury issues and Wenger will have to decide who to start with.

There is a strong case for Coquelin against a side as attacking as Liverpool, with his ball winning ability potentially key to disrupting the visitors' fluidity going forward.

The front three then picks itself, with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez operating either side of club record signing Alexandre Lacazette.

Possible Arsenal XI: Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Xhaka, Wilshere, Iwobi, Sanchez, Ozil, Lacazette.

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