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Arsenal team news: Predicted 4-2-3-1 line up vs Man Utd – Defensive change after injury
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be forced to shuffle his squad due to injuries when the Gunners face Manchester United at the Emirates on Wednesday (8pm).
Arsenal: Mikel Arteta 'disappointed' with loss to Chelsea
Mikel Arteta is expected to make changes to his starting XI when Arsenal continue their Premier League campaign at home to Manchester United. The Gunners are reeling from a disappointing defeat to Chelsea on Sunday, when late goals from Jorginho and Tammy Abraham stole all three points.
Arteta will have been impressed with Arsenal’s performance during his first home match in charge, having taken over from interim boss Freddie Ljungberg earlier in the month.
The Gunners were bright and lively against a below-par Chelsea side and deservedly took the lead through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s header.
The Gabon striker was alert to divert Calum Chambers’ flick past Kepa Arrizabalaga, scoring the first Emirates goal of Arteta’s tenure.
But a change of formation from Frank Lampard shifted the momentum and first-half substitute Jorginho capitalised on Bernd Leno’s mistake to equalise with seven minutes remaining.
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Tammy Abraham then made the comeback complete, turning Shkodran Mustafi and firing home with just minutes remaining to seal victory.
Injury to Chambers adds insult to injury for the wounded Gunners, who remain 12th in the Premier League with just five wins from their 20 matches so far this season.
Arteta will therefore have to shuffle his squad with Mustafi likely to continue in central defence alongside David Luiz.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos was injured for the visit of Chelsea while Rob Holding is back in training but still short of match fitness.
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Therefore, Konstantinos Mavropanos is Arteta’s only other option in central defence while both Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac are also on the treatment table.
Bukayo Saka was solid at left-back against the Blues and is likely to get the nod again while Ainsley Maitland-Niles is expected to continue on the opposite side of the back four.
However, Arsenal fans will hope Hector Bellerin can make a return from injury with the Spaniard having trained with the first team over the past week.
Granit Xhaka missed the defeat to Chelsea due to illness and is unlikely to regain his place with Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi solid enough at the weekend.
Reiss Nelson will hope to maintain his starting berth on the right flank ahead of record signing Nicolas Pepe and Mesut Ozil is set to lineup in the No 10 role once again.
Aubameyang looks consigned to operating out wide following Alexandre Lacazette’s return to the starting XI, despite the Gabon striker’s 13 goals so far this season.
Speaking after the defeat to Chelsea, Arteta remained positive about his side’s performance and hopes Leno can move past his mistake quickly.
“I am really disappointed with the result,” said the Arsenal boss.
“I’m pleased with a lot of things I have seen and how they buy into what I want.
”Bernd [Leno] will be down but it's our job to lift him. He's done a really good job since he arrived here.
“We have to respect what he’s done at the club and get him back on board.”
Manchester United are fifth after their latest win over Burnley and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could recall Paul Pogba to the starting XI but remains without Scott McTominay, Eric Bailly, Diogo Dalot, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Marcos Rojo.
Arsenal predicted line-up vs Manchester United – Premier League
(4-2-3-1): Leno; Bellerin, Mustafi, Luiz, Saka; Torreira, Guendouzi; Nelson, Ozil, Aubameyang; Lacazette