Arteta Rests Arsenal Stars: Predicted XI Set to Face Club Brugge as Key Players Get Crucial Break
Arsenal appeared overwhelmed at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon, but it required an Emiliano Buendía goal in the final moments to hand the Gunners their second loss of the season.
Mikel Arteta is navigating a challenging spell, with three central defenders sidelined through injury and his remaining squad showing fatigue following a demanding fixture schedule.
Nevertheless, the Gunners maintain their position atop the Premier League table and remain flawless in European competition. Forthcoming matches against Club Brugge and Wolverhampton Wanderers provide opportunities to rotate players and regroup.
Journeys to the Jan Breydel Stadium are rarely straightforward, but Arsenal's perfect record in the group stage affords them some breathing room this week. Considering this situation, here's the lineup Arteta might deploy on Wednesday evening.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Club Brugge (4-2-3-1)
GK: David Raya—Although the Arsenal manager is anticipated to make numerous alterations from Saturday's starting eleven, he's unlikely to rotate his goalkeepers in Bruges.
RB: Ben White—Three consecutive starts for White. Who would have predicted it? Injuries in Arsenal's defensive core have opened a pathway back for the England international.
CB: Jurriën Timber—Timber didn't appear entirely settled at centre back on Saturday, but with William Saliba unlikely to recover from his injury before the weekend at minimum, the Dutch defender will persist in this position.
CB: Piero Hincapié—The summer signing earns his place in the team by necessity once more.
LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly—Riccardo Calafiori faces a Premier League suspension this weekend, but the Italian could benefit from an extended rest. He appeared exhausted against Brentford seven days ago, and Lewis-Skelly represents a reliable alternative.
CM: Christian Nørgaard—The ex-Brentford midfielder has seen limited action this campaign, but Nørgaard might receive a starting opportunity.
CM: Mikel Merino—The versatile midfielder could assume the Declan Rice position on Wednesday, with the England star expected to be absent after missing Tuesday's training session.
CM: Ethan Nwaneri—Many fans anticipated significant progress from Nwaneri this season, but Arteta has provided him with limited chances. This would mark his first start since the 3–0 victory over Slavia Prague.
RW: Bukayo Saka—Arteta has improved at giving his key winger breaks this year, but we might see Saka feature for an hour in Bruges.
ST: Viktor Gyökeres—Despite his disappointing substitute appearance at Villa Park, Gyökeres is positioned for his first Arsenal start since recovering from injury.
LW: Gabriel Martinelli—The Brazilian has performed superbly in the Champions League this season, and he found the net again against Bayern Munich in Matchday 5. With Leandro Trossard possibly injured, Martinelli could regain his starting position.
