Double ban hands Arsenal midfield edge but Mikel Arteta facing his own suspension risk
Arsenal will face RC Lens in the Champions League this week ahead of yet another Premier League test to scrutinise their title credentials. The inclusion of European football has tested the limits of Mikel Arteta’s squad but they remain top of both respective tables up to this point.
The Gunners were treated to yet more VAR controversy in Monday night’s game between both Wolves and Fulham. The former will be Arsenal’s opponents in their next Premier League game once they’ve dealt with the visit of the French runners up who of course beat them in their home stadium earlier this season.
When Wolves make their own trip to the Emirates however they will be without two key players after both Joao Gomes and Mario Lemina received their fifth yellow cards of the league season. This means both will be suspended for the trip giving manager Gary O’Neil plenty to consider regarding his line-up.
The likely replacements would be Boubacar Traore and Tommy Doyle should the manager choose to go with the same 3-5-2 that fell, rather unfairly, to a 3-2 defeat in west London. Rayan Ait-Nouri also came off injured during the game and naturally will be a doubt for the game also.
Arsenal’s midfield has gone through plenty of tweaks this season with as many as seven different players being included from the start in the midfield three that Arteta prefers to line up with. Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard started the win over Brentford and could reprise their roles for the game this weekend.
Kai Havertz however was the star of the day. It was his header in the 89th minute which handed the Gunners all three points and moved them to the summit of the table following the draw between Manchester City and Liverpool.
Declan Rice’s forgotten
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