Arsenal will face Liverpool on Sunday. Though the Gunners have had a fantastic start to the season, they go to this game 4 points behind the league leaders.
Certainly, the North Londoners will be looking to beat the Reds on Sunday to close the gap between them and the Merseyside club. The Gunners will need to exert significant effort to secure a victory this weekend, and their players will need to step up to compensate for the absence of some key players.
Arsenal’s attack may be at its peak for that game due to Bukayo Saka’s scheduled return, but its defense is unlikely to be at its peak. William Saliba’s red card against Bournemouth last weekend means he will miss the game. Riccardo Calafiori, who suffered a knee injury against Shakhtar, is doubtful for the Liverpool game.
Jurrien Timber, on the other hand, will have to pass the fitness test ahead of the game due to a muscular issue that has kept him out of action for several weeks. If Timber is fit to play on Sunday, he is considered the ideal Saliba alternative. Even if the Dutchman is available, the key question is who will play left back.
Oleksander Zinchenko may be available, but I doubt most Gooners believe he should start that game; he hasn’t proven himself to be a good Arsenal defensive choice, and his one-on-one defense is a source of concern.
Though controversial, Arsenal teen phenom Myles Lewis-Skelly could be the ideal Arteta choice for left back. It would be risky for the Arsenal technical bench to give him his first league start against Liverpool, especially against the PL’s most dangerous attacker, Mohammed Salah.
However, similar to Ethan Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly has excelled in Arsenal’s colours, displaying confidence, authority, and maturity in both pre-season and cameo appearances, and showcasing his exceptional abilities.
The grandeur of the Arsenal vs. Liverpool match won’t intimidate the 18-year-old, who has made cameo appearances against PSG and Manchester City. Interestingly, he has 100% pass completion in both the league and the Champions League.
Versus Shakhtar Donetsk when Arteta was in a position to bring either Oleksander Zinchenko or even Jakub Kiwior to replace Calafiori at left back, Arteta decided for Lewis Skelly. If that didn’t hint at something, I don’t know, but my gut sense tells me the young Gunner starts Sunday.
Daniel O
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i hope it is, but not seeing Arteta starting him
i don’t think I can watch if Zinc starts at left back against Salah
pray Timber is fit in time
I wrote a reply to Durand on a previous article about giving the upcoming youngsters a chance rather than them being consigned to 5 minutes here and there
Marcus Rashford made his debut against Arsenal in the PL and scored twice. At that time, Utd were down to the bare bones and he got and took his chance.
Under normal circumstances I’m pretty cautious about slinging on the kids, but needs must.
Myles Kelly is a tarlented midfielder who plays at left full-back at the moment. Imo using him against Salah on Sunday is a disaster waiting to happen, not many Epl full backs can put Salah in a pocket. I think Kiwior would do a better job at left full back in the absence of Calafiori or Timber. Zichenko not an option because of his defensive weakness. Myles should be considered as our last option except Arteta changes his formation to accommodate Myles Skelly.
To start him at LB against Liverpool would be unfair on the lad who is really a midfielder first and foremost.He is not quick, and while Salah is not the player he was in my opinion, he would be able to exploit the lads lack of experience, for sure.I just hope Timber is fit to start in a back four along with White, Gabriel and ,despite errors against Bournemouth, Kwior.
That would be throwing in the kid at the deep end, but playing the kid at left back, wouldn’t be the right time of squeezing in a square peg in a round hole.
Have seen Camavinga at Real Madrid done it, but he’s sheer quality on a different level.
Injuries may for the selection. Calafiori is out, Tomiyasu out, Timber seems unlikely; I would not risk prolonged injury for 3 points this early in the season.
If the choice is between MLS and Zinchenko, then give MLS his shot.
Zinchenko has been a crash test dummy against Salah, getting absolutely cooked every time he faced him. A predictable outcome, whereas MLS is new not only for us, but for Salah and Liverpool as well.
Lewis-Skelly would be an interesting option but I doubt Arteta will take the risk of playing him against Liverpool and that too against Salah. However, if Skelly justifies in training he is capable enough of starting against Liverpool and Arteta is convinced than so be it.
I think he’d surprise a lot of people in the 1v1s – trouble is, Salah can beat people with his movement and he doesn’t need much space to make the difference. Given the likely options, I’m not sure we’d have anyone better than mls for the job tbh – only timber or Tomi would be preferable to mark Salah from what I’ve seen.
Big fan of MLS for the longer term, though. He looks incredibly comfortable with the ball, like he’s always got enough time. He’s also been quite good defensively, though not played enough for that to really be tested.
I wouldn’t have thought he’d start against Liverpool. They probably pose Arsenal’s biggest challenge of the season so far in the current circumstances.
Both sides have players out injured so it’s down to the respective squad’s quality/depth but putting in a largely untried youngster from the start looks somewhat risky to me.