Arsenal kick off their 2017-18 season with a home match against former Premier League Champions, Leicester City. Wenger has a terrific record against the Foxes and will be quietly confident of another win. But the Gunners have been traditionally poor starters and that will be something on the back of their mind.
Arsene Wenger signed a contract extension against all odds at the end of last season and will be determined to prove his critics wrong. He has signed a couple of players in Sead Kolasinac and Lacazette who are likely to play a crucial role in the pursuit of their targets this season.
Kolasinac has been terrific in the preseason while Lazazette is slowly hitting his stride. The game will be a Friday kickoff and that has added to the excitement with a slightly early start to the season.
Leicester, after a trying season, will be looking for stability and will look to find their rhythm before trying anything fancy.
Let us take a look at the starting eleven Wenger is likely to choose as his first team of the season.
PREDICTED ARSENAL XI VS LEICESTER CITY (3-4-2-1)
DEFENCE
In goal, it will be the ever dependable Petr Cech who will be donning the mask and the gloves. He has looked sharp recently and Wenger will be expecting more of the same. The Frenchman is likely to go in with a 3-man backline. With Koscielny and Mertesacker missing in action, we will see Holding, Mustafi and Monreal take up their places in front of Cech. Holding is progressing well while Mustafi and Monreal will lend the experience and solidity.
MIDFIELD
The central midfield will see the new fan favourite Granit Xhaka line-up alongside the available Elneny. Ramsey, Coquelin and Cazorla won’t be featuring. While Wenger has described some of them as doubts, he is unlikely to take a risk so early on in the season.
But the flanks is where the real excitement lies for the fans. New signing Sead Kolasinac is a nailed-on starter while on the opposite flank, it will be Chamberlain who would want to put behind all talks of his future and focus on the game and carry on his excellent form.
ATTACK
Alexis Sanchez is out of the game and he will be a big miss. While Mesut Ozil is unlikely to be risked. This might see Lacazette and Iwobi line-up behind the lone striker, who is likely to be Giroud. The French heavy front line might take the look of a temporary one but each player will be desperate to prove their worth in the team.
