Arsenal will be bidding to make it five Premier League wins on the bounce when they travel to Turf Moor to play Burnley on Saturday afternoon.
The Gunners remained in touch with the Premier League’s runaway pack as they laid down a marker on Sunday, smashing West Ham United 6-0 at the London Stadium. Since losing 2-0 to Liverpool in the FA Cup, they have now won their subsequent four league fixtures and are hitting form at the right time of the campaign.
Mikel Arteta would have been delighted with his team’s performance in east London and will hope to build on it against Burnley, who are 19th in the table and lost 3-1 away to Liverpool last time out.
Arsenal Team News
There was no place in the matchday squad for Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Emile Smith Rowe, while standout performer against Liverpool—Jorginho—was only fit enough for the bench.
Jesus missed the win over Liverpool with a nagging knee problem and couldn’t return against West Ham, with another calf problem keeping Zinchenko out of action on Sunday. A niggling issue sustained at the Asian Cup ruled Tomiyasu out of Sunday’s big win at West Ham, with Mikel Arteta not risking the Japanese full-back.
Smith Rowe entered the treatment room again after rolling his ankle in training, joining Thomas Partey, Fabio Vieira and Jurrien Timber in the process.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Burnley (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper
David Raya kept a clean sheet against West Ham on Sunday, with the hosts rarely threatening his goal. The Spaniard will hope to keep back-to-back shutouts when Arsenal travel to Burnley at the weekend.
Defence
Takehiro Tomiyasu will have a chance to feature but Arteta could stick with Jakub Kiwior at left-back in the Arsenal lineup, with Oleksandr Zinchenko unlikely to recover in time for the game at Turf Moor.
Ben White is a regular fixture at right-back, while Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba will continue their strong partnership in central defence in the Arsenal lineup.
The Gunners’ defensive quartet have to stay focused and disciplined throughout the game to keep a clean sheet against Burnley.
Midfield
Declan Rice produced arguably his best performance in an Arsenal shirt on Sunday, haunting his former employers with a goal and a pair of assists. He will screen the defence and break up the home side’s attacks, whilst allowing No.8s Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz to take up dangerous positions in the final third and create chances for the forwards.
Jorginho could come in the second half and play a part for Arsenal, having been an unused substitute at the London Stadium.
Attack
Arteta is unlikely to tinker with the front three that dismantled West Ham, meaning the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard pick themselves again in the Arsenal lineup.
Trossard will operate as the false 9, flanked by the creative and pacey Martinelli and Saka. Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson may get handed opportunities to impress again off the bench.