Arsenal predicted line-up vs Man Utd as Arteta set to stick with makeshift star
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is set to continue with Thomas Partey as his full-back for their first crunch clash of the season against Manchester United.
The Gunners, who dropped points for the first time last weekend, will welcome their rivals to the Emirates on Sunday afternoon. United's only defeat of the season so far came in north London and Arsenal will be hoping to inflict another defeat on them with last season's two-goal hero Eddie Nketiah poised to lead the line.
The forward bagged a 90th minute winner in this fixture last term and continues to deputise in the absence of Gabriel Jesus. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will support him in the final third. Declan Rice and Kai Havertz continue to adapt to life at the Emirates and both are in line to start again.
Rice has slotted in impressively but there is still doubt over the German's best position, though he is set to remain in a midfield trio with captain Martin Odegaard. Fellow summer signing Jurrien Timber is a long-term absentee with Ben White and Partey filling in defensively.
William Saliba and Gabriel should continue their centre-half partnership in front of Aaron Ramsdale. Arteta justified his defensive selections with an interesting explanation, citing the need to adapt to different circumstances.
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He said: "The personnel is different. We played differently against Manchester City and there were 43 different structures in different phases. Every morning I come from my house to Colney, sometimes I leave at six and I need to wipe the windscreen because it's icy and at six o'clock normally I go down one road because it's faster, now it's 20 miles an hour.
Kai Havertz has had a slow start to life as an Arsenal player (Getty Images)"So sometimes I take a back road and then I go on the M25, but depending on if it's a school ride, then I take one exit, if it's after seven o'clock I take a different exit. One day I have a flat tyre and what do you do? You have to replace it and take a different road because the garage is there, so every game is a different story."
It was United last term who inflicted Arsenal's first defeat, albeit at Old Trafford. The Gunners are among the favourites to challenge Manchester City this term but Arteta won't read too much into their title credentials regardless of what happens in north London.
"I think it’s too early in the season," he added. "We all want to win games, we all want to play the best possibly way. That’s not going to dictate but it gives you momentum and belief. Before the international break, it’s very important to finish well and win your game and go into September with another block of games on a high."
Arsenal predicted XI: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel; Partey, Rice, Havertz, Odegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Nketiah.
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