Here is our predicted Arsenal lineup for the Gunners’ Carabao Cup tie against Preston North End on Wednesday, October 30.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Preston North End for Carabao Cup Tie
How Arsenal Have Lined up Recently
Mikel Arteta is enduring a bit of an injury crisis right now, more on that shortly, thereby ending Sunday’s huge Premier League clash against Liverpool with a very make-shift back four.
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He heavily rotated for the 5-1 trouncing of Bolton in round three and will do the same here, with a mixture of youth and experience deployed.
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Following this trip to Deepdale, the Gunners face three more away games, taking on Newcastle, Internazionale and then Chelsea all away from home, so key players may be preserved.
Arsenal Recent Form and Tactics
Having failed to win either of their last two Premier League games, Arsenal are now five points adrift of leaders Manchester City, a gap they surely cannot allow to grow further.
First, the Gunners suffered their, so-far, only defeat of the campaign, beaten 2-0 at Bournemouth on a disastrous night in Dorset.
Then, at the weekend, despite leading through Bukayo Saka’s stunner and then Mikel Merino’s header, they were held to a 2-2 draw by Liverpool.
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Their downturn in form is, without doubt, primarily due to the countless, ever-increasing number of injuries ravaging through the squad, but games continue to come thick and fast.
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Arsenal have not won the League Cup since 1993, defeated in three finals subsequently. This competition may not be top of their list of priorities, but victory at Deepdale would see them through to the quarter-finals, tantalisingly close to a Wembley date.
Arsenal Injuries to Consider
Where to start?
Gabriel was taken off injured at the weekend, unlikely to be seen until after the international break at the earliest.
Fellow defenders Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are also sidelined, while Jurriën Timber surely won’t feature either, having been rushed back for the Liverpool game.
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Thus, as they did against Bolton, youngsters Josh Nichols and Myles Lewis-Skelly are likely to start at full-back.
William Saliba meanwhile could return in the middle, having served his one-match ban.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup Vs Preston North End
In goal, with Neto cup-tied, 16-year-old Jack Porter donned the gloves against Bolton, the youngest keeper ever to feature for the Gunners, smashing a record that had stood since 1969.
This time, fit-again 18-year-old Tommy Setford could start, or perhaps Arteta will feel David Raya’s experience is invaluable. With neither Martin Ødegaard nor Saka set to travel, Ethan Nwaneri is the attacker everyone is excited to see. The 17-year-old bagged a brace in the previous round.
GK: David Raya.
RB: Josh Nichols.
CB: William Saliba.
CB: Jakub Kiwior.
LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly.
CDM: Jorginho.
CM: Declan Rice.
CM: Oleksandr Zinchenko.
RW: Ethan Nwaneri.
LW: Raheem Sterling.
ST: Gabriel Jesus.