Arsenal is currently facing a challenging period. Since March 31, they have been playing matches at a rapid pace, including challenging opponents like Man City and Bayern Munich. Mikel Arteta and his team have managed to maintain an impressive unbeaten record in the sprint stage. Even at this moment, following Liverpool’s setback at Old Trafford, Arsenal is the team currently leading the Premier League. Given Arsenal’s approach, they will tackle each match individually and work towards finding solutions. The upcoming match against Aston Villa this weekend will undoubtedly drain the Gunners of their energy.
Based on the schedule, Bayern Munich has a match on Saturday and enjoys an additional day of rest before their next game. On the other hand, Arsenal will be facing Villa on Sunday due to their recent participation in the UEFA Europa Conference League. They will be facing Lille at Villa Park on Thursday evening (local time), which gives them two fewer days to recover compared to their opponents.
Arsenal should consider assembling a squad with sufficient rotation before embarking on their journey to Munich. Considering the situation and the uncertainty in midfield that Unai Emery must address when Douglas Luiz is unavailable due to yellow cards, Arsenal has an opportunity to revitalize their midfield by giving Emile Smith Rowe a chance. Smith Rowe has been outstanding in the match against Luton Town and deserves to start from the beginning.
Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard are expected to feature in the starting lineup. It is highly probable that Thomas Partey will be given an opportunity to showcase his skills against Aston Villa, although it is anticipated that he will be brought on during the second half, following a pattern observed in several recent matches under Arteta’s guidance.
Defender Jakub Kiwior faced a challenging match against Leroy Sane. Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby exhibit strikingly similar playing styles. Therefore, allowing Takehiro Tomiyasu to start the game and familiarize himself with the team’s strategy is also a solid strategy. It will be a crucial test to determine if Arsenal is willing to deploy this player to neutralize the opponents of the Gray Tigers during the midweek match.
Ben White, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are all strong contenders for a starting position. Oleksandr Zinchenko is prepared to step in and provide support if the main players require a break. Naturally, goalkeeper David Raya is the top pick in goal. Both Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard showcased impressive skills during the match against Bayern, particularly in the attacking department. However, in the upcoming match against Villa, it’s possible that Arteta will give some of the players a break, especially considering Jesus has acknowledged his knee ιnjury.
As a result, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have been chosen to occupy the wing positions for the Gunners. Ezri Konsa’s endurance will be put to the test, as Kai Havertz poses a potential threаt. Despite the awareness of the need for rotation to preserve their physical strength for the upcoming match against the Gray Tigers, Arsenal is also determined to secure 3 crucial points in order to maintain their advantage in the Premier League.