Arsenal travels to Stamford Bridge for a London derby against rival Chelsea this Sunday meeting Enzo Maresca's iteration for the first time.
The Gunners come into the fixture on the back of two straight losses in the Premier League and their first loss in the Champions League. Declan Rice is a question mark for the match after picking up an injury against Newcastle United. Captain Martin Ødegaard returned to the matchday squad for the first time since an ankle injury in September, yet he was resigned to a brief cameo against Inter Milan. It remains to be seen if Ødegaard will be available to start.
Arsenal needs a win if its to keep pace with the league's top two sides through the first 10 games of the campaign: Manchester City and Liverpool. If the captain is available, expect Arsenal to return to a preferred 4-3-3 formation. If not, more of the same with the 4-4-2 that's fallen out of favor with the fan base.
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Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea: Premier League (4-3-3)
GK: David Raya—The reigning Golden Glove keeper conceded just a penalty against Inter Milan. There's no risk of him losing his spot.
LB: Jurrien Timber—Timber gets the start on the left linking up with Gabriel Martinelli.
CB: Gabriel—The Brazilian and his center-back partner will want to get back to clean sheet ways. No better place to do so than Stamford Bridge against a potent attack.
CB: William Saliba—Saliba's put his red card behind him. He'll have his hands full with an attack that includes Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and more.
RB: Ben White—After a brief period on the sidelines, White is back to his consistent right-back slot. That could change when Riccard Calafiori is fit, but that remains to be seen.
CM: Thomas Partey—The Ghanaian has improved his form after a slow start to the season. With Rice likely out, Partey anchors the midfield.
CM: Mikel Merino—An early substitute against Inter Milan, Merino should be fine to start here.
CM: Martin Ødegaard—The club captain only played a few minutes against Inter midweek. It's likely he might've not even seen the field if not for a head injury to Kai Havertz. With Arteta needing a win big time, the Norwegian gets the start with the international break right around the corner.
LW: Gabriel Martinelli—Martinelli's come a long way since his famous goal at the Bridge seasons ago. His form has been up and down, but his pace is necessary to stretch defenses.
ST: Kai Havertz—Despite coming off with a head injury, Havertz should be fit to lead the line against his former club.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea: Premier League.
