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Arsenal return from the three-week international break carrying a significant injury burden ahead of their upcoming Premier League fixture against Leeds United on Saturday.
The Gunners were thankful for the club football pause following their dreadful 3–0 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion in their previous outing, which represented their first defeat of the campaign in any competition. Mikel Arteta, who recently signed a contract extension with the club, will be demanding a strong response.
The Spaniard faces some difficult selection calls in pursuit of all three points, however. Already short of several players through injury before the international break, he has encountered additional setbacks over the past few weeks.
With that in mind, here's how Arsenal could set up this weekend.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Leeds
GK: David Raya—Despite being widely regarded as the Premier League's finest goalkeeper, Raya remains second in the pecking order for Spain. He featured just once across four UEFA Nations League games, with Unai Simón starting the remaining three.
RB: Jurriën Timber—The Dutch international accumulated more valuable minutes during the international break as he continues to work his way back to full fitness following a lengthy injury absence.
CB: Ezri Konsa—The summer signing sat out England's final match with a dead leg, but is anticipated to be available for Arsenal's first game back. Cristhian Mosquera has at least returned to training.
CB: Gabriel—Carlo Ancelotti used Gabriel in limited capacity during Brazil's friendly matches against Australia and India. The centre-back should arrive refreshed for a physical contest against Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
LB: Riccardo Calafiori—Arsenal's adventurous left-back showcased his attacking quality in Italy's final game, netting in a 3–1 victory over Türkiye. He now has four goal involvements across club and country this season.
CM: Declan Rice—Having pulled out of Thomas Tuchel's England squad before a single ball was kicked, questions remain over Rice's availability against Leeds. Nevertheless, the midfielder is widely expected to have recovered in time after three weeks away from competitive action.
CM: Myles Lewis-Skelly—Following Bruno Guimarães's disappointing display in the Brighton defeat, Arteta may opt for Myles Lewis-Skelly in central midfield. The youngster already brings a composed and steadying influence alongside Rice.
RW: Bukayo Saka—After his brace in England's emphatic 7–0 thrashing of Croatia, Saka has now reached five goals for the campaign. Leeds will need a carefully crafted plan to contain Arsenal's talisman.
AM: Martin Ødegaard—Ødegaard has been in excellent scoring form for Arsenal, yet shifted his focus to providing creative brilliance for Norway over the past three weeks. He registered four assists across as many Nations League appearances.
LW: Eberechi Eze—With Christos Tzolis another victim of the international window, Eze looks set to earn a place in the starting eleven as Arteta's sole remaining option on the left wing.
ST: Viktor Gyökeres—Kai Havertz's early departure from the Germany squad due to a muscle injury opens the door for Gyökeres to make his first league start of the season. The Swede heads into the match brimming with confidence after finding the net in each of his nation's four games during the break.