Arsenal are ready to take on Championship club Preston North End in the fourth round of the EFL Cup at the Deepdale Stadium on Wednesday.
The home side played one of their most embarrassing games this season when they bottled a three-goal lead in the 3-3 draw vs. Plymouth Argyle. However, they are yet to taste defeat in five league games, and it has propelled them from the bottom to the 21st spot in the table.
Preston have eased through the opening rounds in the EFL Cup after overcoming Sunderland and Harrogate Town before defeating Fulham on penalties in September.
Meanwhile, the Gunners need to work on their Premier League standings after sacrificing their lead twice in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool last week. They are already five points adrift of league leaders Manchester City. Their unfortunate loss in the Bournemouth clash may haunt them for quite some time.
Preston North End vs Arsenal
Arteta: “We will try to find the right balance. We have very demanding matches now, in different competitions. We want to win them all and we have to start against Preston to get the momentum again and we’ll put a strong team out. pic.twitter.com/5swn1Hrseh
— Samosports (@alagbesamson3) October 30, 2024
But they have fared well in the EFL Cup until now, with their recent game ending in a 5-1 thrashing of Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Emirates Stadium last month.
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Although the Gooners have a better head-to-head record against Preston (36 wins in 81 games), the Lilywhites are still a tough nut to crack due to their marvellous home record this season.
Mikel Arteta’s side will be motivated to end their opponent’s seven-game unbeaten run at the Deepdale Stadium. We expect a new look starting XI to help the manager provide rest to his key players and reduce injury concerns.
Here is how Arsenal could lineup against Preston North End:
Defence: David Raya, Ben White, William Saliba, Jacub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko
Raya will continue to hold on to his starting XI spot for this clash, but there might be chances in the defensive department.
Jurrien Timber left the pitch against Liverpool amid fears of another injury. However, Arteta has downplayed such rumours, stating that the player is fine and suffered from exhaustion as he was out for a while. But we still expect the Dutch star to miss the next EFL Cup tie. Ben White will take his place in the team.
Gabriel Magalhaes was also substituted in the Liverpool draw, and he was accessed after the game. The Brazilian centre-back’s injury doesn’t look serious, but it will still keep him out of the Preston game.
— Ødegaard has been on the grass for a few weeks and hopefully he’ll be back before the international break
— Gabriel Magalhaes’s knee injury was not serious
— Jurrien Timber did not suffer from any new problems
— Riccardo Calafiori will be a few weeks out pic.twitter.com/SsD3OyDIoc
— ARSENAL (@tomgunner14) October 30, 2024
William Saliba and Jacub Kiwior are strong contenders to cover the centre-half slot. The former is available for selection after serving his one-game ban.
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Left-back Zinchenko is also back from his long injury hiatus, and the manager won’t hesitate to start him in the next game since it will help him to find his footing back.
Midfield: Ethan Nwaneri, Jorginho, Myles Lewis-Skelly
Arteta will be tempted to test youngster Nwaneri after the English midfielder scored a brace in his first full senior debut for the North London outfit.
Jorginho’s experience will be vital, and he has been excellent in covering the see-off games. Full-back Lewis-Skelly is versatile enough to operate in the midfield role, and he would get the nod to play in the centre of the field for Arsenal.
Attack: Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard
Sterling needs to up his ante for the Gunners, as he was relatively quiet in his previous encounters. The Chelsea winger has the perfect chance to improve his goalscoring numbers against Preston.
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Similarly, striker Jesus needs to do well and will receive better service from Belgian ace Leandro Trossard in the left-wing spot.
Predicted lineup for Arsenal vs. Preston North End: David Raya, Ben White, William Saliba, Jacub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ethan Nwaneri, Jorginho, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, and Leandro Trossard
