The victory over West Ham earlier in the week took Arsenal closer to a place in the top-4 but they will have to be consistent with the rest of the season if they are to qualify for the Champions League next season. Up next for Wenger’s side is a trip to the Selhurst Park which is not going to be easy.
The Eagles have seen a mini-revival under their new manager Sam Allardyce and though they lost their last game Southampton away from home, they will hope to put in a strong performance in this tie. With Liverpool and Manchester City winning their ties on Saturday, the pressure is on Wenger’s side to take all three points from this game. Here is the predicted lineup that the manager might field for this tie:
Team News:
The Gunners are still without the services of midfielder Santi Cazorla who is ruled out for the season. Shot-stopper Petr Cech is also expected to miss this tie alongside star defender Laurent Koscielny, with both players nursing separate injuries they picked up recently. David Ospina, who started the previous game is also out leaving Wenger a bit short at the back. However, midfielder Francis Coquelin, who missed the previous game, should be back in the first team.
Expected Lineup (4-2-3-1):
Defense:
With Ospina and Cech ruled out, Emiliano Martinez should once against start on goal for Arsenal. He kept a clean sheet earlier this week and will high on confidence. The Gunners have trusted Spanish pair Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal on either flank as a part of their back four and Wenger should stick with them for this derby. With Koscielny out, Shkodran Mustafi should lead the defensive line while Gabriel Paulista should be preferred over Rob Holding and Per Mertesacker for this tie.
Midfield:
With Coquelin back in action, Wenger should bring in his first-choice midfielder for this game. Granit Xhaka has not been dependable but he should get the nod ahead of Mohamed Elneny and Aaron Ramsey for this game in the midfield for Arsenal.
Attack:
English winger Theo Walcott was on the score-sheet in the previous game and he will hope to put in a similar performance at the weekend. Mesut Ozil looked lively against West Ham and could be the danger man for Palace on the night. Though more productive as a false-9, Alexis Sanchez should be pushed back into his more genuine role on the left wing. Danny Welbeck has been decent but Olivier Giroud scored from the bench in the previous game and could replace the English striker for this tie.
Here is how they would line up:
