Arsenal XI vs Man City: Predicted lineup and confirmed team news
Odegaard will be sidelined for an indefinite period due to the ankle injury he picked up while representing Norway. His injury forces Mikel Arteta to make some significant decisions regarding his lineup for the match at the Etihad.
Arsenal has struggled to generate creativity in their games against Tottenham and Atalanta without Odegaard. This puts Arteta in a challenging position regarding the composition of his midfield and forward line.
The Gunners are set to have Declan Rice back in the Premier League after he missed last weekend's 1-0 victory against Spurs due to suspension.
On Thursday, Kai Havertz took over the midfield position from Odegaard in the Champions League match against Atalanta, and it's expected that he'll fill that role once more when facing City.
Thomas Partey is expected to join Rice and Havertz in the midfield, but he faced difficulties in the match against Atalanta and was substituted for Jorginho at halftime.
Leandro Trossard may take the forefront after Gabriel Jesus struggled during the game on Thursday.
The defense is anticipated to remain the same for the fifth consecutive match following another shutout in Italy.
Mikel Merino, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Kieran Tierney are currently sidelined due to injuries.
Expected Arsenal Starting XI (4-3-3 formation): Raya in goal; White, Saliba, Gabriel, and Timber in defense; Havertz, Partey, and Rice in midfield; Saka, Trossard, and Martinelli as forwards.
Injuries: Merino has a shoulder issue, Odegaard is dealing with an ankle problem, Tierney is suffering from a hamstring strain, Tomiyasu has a knee injury, and Zinchenko is facing a calf concern.
The Arsenal team includes the following players: Neto, Raya; Calafiori, Gabriel, Heaven, Kiwior, Saliba, Timber, and White in defense; Havertz, Jorginho, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, Partey, and Rice in midfield; and in attack, they have Jesus, Martinelli, Saka, Sterling, and Trossard.
Television network and live broadcast: Sky Sports
