EPL: Arteta Leaves 4 Players Out Of Arsenal Squad Vs Manchester City

Arsenal’s hopes of a first Premier league title since 2004 rely heavily on the match against Manchester City at the Emirates tonight.

The match could present Mikel Arteta with a few dilemmas when it comes to securing a win.

One who begins on the left-hand side. Gabriel Martinelli has been the undisputed first-choice in this position so far this season, especially in the Premier League, where he has started every single game, frequently alongside Bukayo Saka in the front three and more recently providing support to Eddie Nketiah as the central striker.

Leandro Trossard, his replacement against Brentford at the weekend, came off the bench to break the deadlock. Does Arteta stick with the 22-year-old or utilize his January acquisition?

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This question will be answered one hour prior to kickoff at the Emirates Stadium tonight, and the Spaniard may also have to decide which first-team players are left out of the 20-man matchday squad he is permitted to name because it is a Premier League match.

At the weekend, it was a simple decision for the Spaniard, as Mohamed Elneny was absent due to injury, Gabriel Jesus was not ready to return despite making great progress following knee surgery, Karl Hein was not selected, and Matt Turner provided cover for Aaron Ramsdale on the bench.

Meanwhile, despite participating in training prior to the Brentford match, neither Emile Smith Rowe nor Reiss Nelson were expected to play on Saturday afternoon, and that proved to be the case, allowing Amario Cozier-Duberry to gain additional matchday squad experience with the first team.

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However, Arsenal’s situation may have changed slightly ahead of Man City’s visit. While Arteta has confirmed a portion of the team’s availability by stating, “Everyone available from the previous game, unless something strange happens in their beds today!” he may be able to recall two senior players.

Notably, the Gunners manager neither confirmed nor denied whether Smith Rowe and/or Nelson would be available for selection: “I will do the list now,” he told football.london. “So I will make that decision.”

21 of the club’s 24 senior players, according to the club’s official website, will be in contention for a place in Pep Guardiola’s matchday squad for Manchester City’s visit.

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However, it should be noted that while Cozier-Duberry is most at risk of being replaced on the bench, another player who played against Brentford must also be omitted in order for Smith Rowe and Nelson to be included in the matchday squad of 20.

Alternately, Arteta may opt to hold back one or both of the Hale End academy graduates with upcoming trips to Aston Villa and Leicester City before the end of the month, meaning the Arsenal matchday squad could remain unchanged for a third consecutive game.