LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 27: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal FC celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal in extra-time during the UEFA Europa League round of 32 second leg match between Arsenal FC and Olympiacos FC at Emirates Stadium on February 27, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Getty Images)
Arsenal play host to face Watford on Sunday at the Emirates in a final and important league game of the campaign.
Mikel Arteta’s men are heading into the fixture on the back of a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa. They now cannot qualify for the Europa League via the Premier League. However, they need to take maximum points from the game in order to boost their confidence ahead of the FA Cup final showdown with Chelsea.
On the other hand, the Villans will be hoping to give their all to secure their top-flight status and this could be a tricky fixture for the Gunners.
Gabriel Marinelli, Mesut Ozil and Calum Chambers haven’t yet featured for a while and are set to remain on the sidelines. Bernd Leno, Shkodran Mustafi and Pablo Mari will be notable absentees as they are recovering from their respective injuries. Young Reiss Nelson is also struggling with a groin strain and would not be available for selection.
The Argentine shot-stopper is currently the first-choice in goal for Arsenal. He has done well beyond expectations and has saved some crucial points in the last few weeks. He should manage to keep a clean sheet.
With Mustafi injured and Sokratis out of from, Holding should retain his spot. He has been decent since returning from injury and has the ability to succeed at the Emirates, given he keeps himself away from injuries.
The former Chelsea man is one of the most experienced players in the squad and should lead the backline. If he is able to replicate the same form he showed against Manchester City a few weeks back, Arsenal could easily get away with this game.
After struggling to make an impact earlier in the campaign, Tierney’s form has peaked at the right time. He seems to be the future of Arsenal’s defence and should be given enough opportunities to develop.
After spending the majority of the last couple of years on the sidelines, Bellerin has managed to feature in a series of games in recent weeks. He was rested in the previous game but should start this one.
A prized asset for the Gunners, Saka has a huge future ahead of him. He should be given the start as he is capable of doing the damage. The youngster is one of the best players in the squad at the moment.
With Lucas Torreira underperforming in the last outing, Arteta should make sure to bring in the Swiss international to the starting XI. He looks to have redeemed his Arsenal career after some impressive performances since the restart.
The Real Madrid loanee seems to be settling well in North London. He is expected to retain his spot and could be a key player for Arsenal on Sunday.
Pepe is capable of creating opportunities and he should be starting more often instead of coming on as a substitute.
The 31-year-old is the Gunners’ top scorer with 20 goals in the league and a few more on Sunday would definitely be helpful for the team.
The Frenchman will be leading the line and needs to get his name regularly on the score sheet or he could soon lose his place to Eddie Nketiah permanently.
