Arteta to outwit Rosenior with this refreshed Arsenal line‑up

 By Danong

Tonight, Arsenal are back in action as they make the short trip across West London to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals.  

Fresh from dismantling Portsmouth on their own turf with a commanding 4-1 victory in the FA Cup third round, the Gunners will be eager to carry that ruthless goalscoring touch into this clash.  

Chelsea, meanwhile, arrive with the energy of a new-manager bounce. Liam Rosenior kicked off his tenure in emphatic fashion on Saturday, overseeing a thumping 5-1 win over Charlton.  

As fired up as both sides are heading into this fixture, the outcome will ultimately be decided on the pitch. And with Arsenal’s boss Mikel Arteta determined to end the club’s trophy drought, he has little excuse but to field a strong side tonight.  

It looks like Piero Hincapié and Ricardo Calafiori will be out. Saliba and Trossard are also doubtful. Having rested most of his other key stars in the FA Cup triumph, he should be able to field a competitive line-up:  

Raya  
Timber, Nørgaard, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly  
Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard  
Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli

Nørgaard showed that when he played as a central defender he put in a quite adequate performance.

On the other hand MLS looked rusty and devoid of confidence in his last two appearances. He will have to raise his game if Arsenal are to get a result tonight to take back to the Emirates.

Chelsea, for their part, will be boosted by the return of Marc Cucurella from suspension, though they may still be without Reece James and Cole Palmer.  

With Arsenal unbeaten in their last nine meetings against Chelsea, this tie could be monumental. Victory would mark a tenth consecutive game without defeat against their London rivals, further cementing the Gunners’ dominance as the undisputed Kings of London.

Arsenal set to humble Liverpool at the Emirates with this superb line-up

By Danong 

Arsenal, buoyed by five wins on the bounce, will be eager to extend their sparkling festive run in the Premier League when they welcome Liverpool to the Emirates on Thursday night.  

Beyond the sheer desire to sustain their momentum, the Gunners carry an added incentive into this clash.

It was Liverpool who first punctured Arsenal’s earlier in the season, one of only two sides to do so, the other being Aston Villa.

That memory alone ensures Arsenal approach this fixture with fire in their veins.  

Gabriel Magalhaes’ return has proved a timely boost, not only reinforcing the defence but also rekindling his instinct for decisive goals. 

Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus has seized his opportunities with flashes of brilliance that underline his attacking threat.

As for Kai Havertz, he could well come into contention against Liverpool, thereby injecting yet another dimension into Arteta’s tactical options.

With that said, here is how Mikel Arteta might line up to outmanoeuvre Arne Slot’s Liverpool (who are unbeaten in seven):  

Predicted XI  

Raya

Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié

Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard 

Saka, Gyökeres, Trossard  

From the bench, Arteta could introduce Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze, and perhaps Jesus, arguably the strongest "finishers" Arsenal can summon on the night.  

In a boost to Arsenal, Liverpool’s striking options, however, appear far less certain. Hugo Ekitike remains a doubt, while Alexander Isak is already sidelined.  

Arsenal’s form, their desire for vengeance, and Liverpool’s attacking absences, with Salah also unavailable, may well tilt the balance in the Gunners’ favour, leaving them well poised to seize a statement victory over the reigning champions.

Are Manchester City bottling it?

 By 1970s Gooner 

Man City have dropped 4 points in their last two games. Have they got the jitters?

Against Sunderland they couldn’t score against a very determined opponent. But in the same fixture Arsenal went one better. They were leading 2 1 and were pegged back with virtually the last kick of the game.

Tonight City were leading 1 0 but they allowed Chelsea to create chances and finally equalise in the last minute.

Now if it was Arsenal doing this then we would be called bottlers.

Are Man City bottling it?