Arsenal will host Newcastle United in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, January 7 as two Premier League rivals will lock horns as they look to earn a shot at winning silverware this season.
The Gunners have not won the EFL Cup (formerly League Cup) since their triumph in the competition in the 1992-93 season. Their latest final was in 2011, where they fell to Birmingham City in shock fashion while Arsene Wenger was at the helm. Since then, they have won multiple FA Cups and will now look to add this elusive domestic cup to their plethora of silverware over the years.
With a young squad at his disposal, aided by youngsters from the Hale End academy, Mikel Arteta and his team will look to put their best foot forward. Injuries and suspensions have not been kind to the Gunners, as they have lost key members of the squad in key phases of the season, causing them to lose ground on their objectives.
However, they will look to put their best performances in the semis, and having said that, let’s take a look at how they could line up.
No Kai Havertz yet again: How could Arteta adapt?
Arsenal have now played two games without Kai Havertz in the squad after the German had made a consistent and strong start to the season. He could miss out yet again as he has not recovered from illness, as reported by Arteta following the draw against Brighton & Hove Albion. They will not risk him and will rest him, or at the most name him among the substitutes. Ethan Nwaneri will miss a couple of weeks of action after picking up a knock, while Jurrien Timber will return after serving a one-game suspension.
David Raya will continue to man the goal, with Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori making up the back four ahead of him. Martin Odegaard will return to the starting lineup and resume captaincy duties, Thomas Partey and Declan Rice joining him to make the midfield three.
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Out wide on the right, Arteta will start Gabriel Martinelli after he was brought off the bench in the game against Brighton. Gabriel Jesus will start in the middle, while Leandro Trossard will start on the left flank.
Predicted XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard (C), Partey, Rice; Martinelli, Jesus, Trossard.
