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Gabriel Jesus and Eberechi Eze are both predicted to start for Arsenal in their FA Cup third-round tie with Portsmouth
Arsenal take on Portsmouth in the FA Cup third round as they look to finally break free of their struggles in the competition. Early round eliminations to Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City have stung in recent seasons but Mikel Arteta has been handed a welcoming clash against a lower opposition side.
This is the first of four away games in ten days for Arsenal, and unsurprisingly, therefore, major changes to the team will be expected. Despite losing Piero Hincapie to injury against Liverpool, the majority of the squad is healthy, with even Kai Havertz hoping to be amongst the matchday squad for this one too.
While the Premier League and Champions League might be significantly higher in the club’s ambitions, the FA Cup remains a major trophy that Arteta will be keen to win. football.london therefore gives it's views on who we expect to start against Pompey on Sunday.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
The cup goalkeeper comes back into the side after performing well in the League Cup where the Gunners find themselves in the semi-final after the Spaniard’s penalty shootout heroics.
Ben White
Jurrien Timber has played a significant amount of football, and Ben White's return is a great relief to the Dutchman and a great opportunity for the England international to get some playing time.
William Saliba
Cristhian Mosquera would have played this game, but he is not yet back fit, but is closing in, and therefore Saliba must continue to start and help find more victories for the Gunners.
Gabriel Magalhaes
Piero Hincapie was injured in the game with Liverpool and is unlikely to be available for this game, and so again Gabriel is likely going to be needed to play the majority, if not all, of this match too.
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Riccardo Calafiori is another not expected to be back for this game also meaning that Myles Lewis-Skelly is likely to play and needs a big performance.
Christian Norgaard
Perhaps has been underutilised this season and whenever Norgaard has been called upon he has played well and will be a reliable figure here too.
Mikel Merino
Giving Declan Rice some rest is also important after an uncharacteristically poor game by his high standards against Liverpool and Mikel Merino is good to come in.
Ethan Nwaneri
If Ethan Nwaneri doesn’t start this game I do not know where we go with the 18-year-old who desperately needs some minutes. He surely comes in here.
Noni Madueke
I was quite happy with what I saw against both Bournemouth and in his smaller cameo against Liverpool from Madueke. He makes things happen and will expectantly come in to start here.
Gabriel Jesus
This presents a significant opportunity for Gabriel Jesus, who now has Kai Havertz returning soon, too. Jesus is the profile that Arsenal need at the tip of the spear and Gyokeres needs taking out the firing line.
Eberechi Eze
Another player who has not had much in the way of an opportunity of late will get one here but with Nwaneri in the middle, it makes sense for Eze therefore to move to the left-hand side.
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