Predicted Arsenal lineup and XI vs Chelsea as Mikel Arteta makes Gabriel Martinelli decision

Arsenal host Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners are looking to close the significant points deficit that already exists between them and Liverpool, to ensure that the Reds can’t run away with the league too early in the season.

In midweek, Arsenal drew with PSV Eindhoven to secure their place in the last eight of the Champions League, setting up a two-legged tie with Real Madrid in the next round.

Inevitably, attentions in Mikel Arteta’s camp will turn towards the European competition and away from the league, although they’ll certainly be keen on getting one over their West London counterparts and tightening their grip on a top four place.

Arsenal drew with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the reverse fixture, in a game that saw captain Martin Odegaard return from a lengthy injury

Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Chelsea

Plenty of Arsenal’s key men were afforded a rest against PSV, with the likes of William Saliba, Thomas Partey and Ethan Nwaneri not featuring at all, while Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Leandro Trossard were only given short cameos.

That should mean that Arteta can field a fresh and well rested side against the Blues.

Long-term absentees Bukayo Saka, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined, but the Spaniard should have the rest of his squad to pick from.

David Raya will retain his place in between the sticks, while Timber, Saliba and Gabriel Maglhaes pick themselves in the back four at the moment.

At left-back, Arteta has a decision to make, with both Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly staking reasonable claims to start.

The tactician has been rotating between the two players in recent weeks, which would indicate that he’ll return to Calafiori for this game, after the Hale End graduate played the full 90 minutes on Wednesday night.

However, Lewis-Skelly earned his first England call-up on Friday and may be buoyed by this news, potentially making him the more appropriate choice from a soft factor standpoint.

In midfield, Partey will likely come back into the side, whilst you’d expect the Ghanaian to be deployed next to Odegaard and Declan Rice in what has become Arteta’s default trio in the middle of the park.

In the forward line, the Arsenal boss has some tough choices facing him.

Mikel Merino has flattered to deceive as a striker in recent games, and the return of Gabriel Martinelli could see this experiment put to an end.

However, Arteta hinted that Martinelli isn’t ready to start, likely meaning that Merino will keep his place alongside Nwaneri and Trossard, with Raheem Sterling ineligible against his parent club.

Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Chelsea: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Nwaneri, Merino, Trossard.

READ MORE: Mikel Arteta was so close to ruining his Arsenal project in 2023 but Chelsea saved him

What Mikel Arteta said about Chelsea

Chelsea have been on a poor run of form of late, with Enzo Maresca’s side struggling without the injured Nicolas Jackson.

Cole Palmer has started to run cold in Jackson’s absence, and thus, the Blues’ attack has stopped functioning as effectively as it was earlier in the campaign.

Asked about Chelsea in his press conference on Friday, Arteta provided a fascinating insight into the West Londoners style of play.

“Well, let’s see [what we can expect from Chelsea],” he said.

“I think two teams that want to be very dominant in the way of playing, are very aggressive on the high press and the way we have to have the ball.

“A lot of individual quality on that pitch so it’s about imposing what you want and the direction that you want to take the game and keep them very far from their strengths.

“I think that’s going to be a key thing as well.”