Fresh from winning the Community Shield, Arsenal begin their latest bid for Premier League supremacy at home to Nottingham Forest at lunchtime on Saturday.
The Gunners broke their Manchester City hoodoo to win the Community Shield last weekend on penalty shootout and will look to use it as a motivation in their upcoming Premier League campaign. Having exceeded expectations during a phenomenal 2022-23 campaign, they would want to go one better this time around and have strengthened their squad with a £200m+ summer spending spree.
As it was the 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest in May that effectively consigned them to a second-placed finish, Mikel Arteta and his boys will be out for a slice of revenge on Saturday.
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal have received a big injury boost as Oleksandr Zinchenko has returned to full Arsenal training ahead of the start of the new Premier League season. Zinchenko sat out the Community Shield game alongside Folarin Balogun, Reiss Nelson, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Jorginho, and it is still unclear whether any of the quintet will return this weekend.
Gabriel Jesus will spend the next few weeks recovering from a knee injury, while Mohamed Elneny has been absent since January.
Predicted Arsenal Lineup vs Nottingham Forest (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper
There’s suddenly a lot of focus on Arsenal’s goalkeeper situation with David Raya arriving from Brentford soon.
Yet, Mikel Arteta is expected to put his trust in Aaron Ramsdale to start the season in goal, and the England international will go into the first game in a great mood after becoming the Gunners’ hero in the penalty shootout win over City in the Community Shield.
Defence
William Saliba and Gabriel had formed a strong partnership at the heart of Arsenal’s defence last season. Having Saliba fully recovered from his back problem and completing the whole game against Man City last weekend came as a massive boost for Arsenal, so the Frenchman is certain to partner Gabriel in central defence in the Arsenal lineup against Forest.
Jurrien Timber has seamlessly settled into life at the Emirates Stadium, not just featuring in Arteta’s starting XI, but becoming one of the first names in the Arsenal lineup. Having impressed at left-back against City, the Dutchman is expected to retain his position on Saturday.
Ben White looks like a guaranteed starter at right-back in the Arsenal lineup, for now.
Midfield
A midfield three of Thomas Partey, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard started against City in the Community Shield and did well. With Partey shielding the back four, Rice and Odegaard should enjoy the license to push forward and influence the game in the final third. The trio will help the hosts dominate the ball and the midfield battles against Forest.
There is a case for Kai Havertz shifting to midfield as one of the no.8s in the Arsenal lineup as Arteta has implied in the past that he might be majorly deployed in the midfield in the long run.
Fabio Vieira and Emil Smith Rowe must occupy their spots on the Arsenal bench and hope to make an impact when called upon.
Attack
With Gabriel Jesus injured, Arteta may use one of Kai Havertz or Leandro Trossard as a false nine. Havertz was selected in that role against City, and while he did miss a couple of chances in the first half, he is expected to get the nod again ahead of Trossard if Arteta decides to retain Partey in the Arsenal lineup.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli pick themselves in this Arsenal team, with the attacking duo capable of wreaking havoc against Forest. They will try and get behind the shaky Forest backline whilst creating opportunities for Havertz in the box.
Eddie Nketiah will again have to be content with a role on the bench.