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Cazorla & Kos Out: The Arsenal Starting XI That Should Face Burnley

By on April 9, 2015

Danny Welbeck

Arsenal will be looking to put some distance between us and the two Manchester clubs when we take on Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday evening. This is the starting eleven I’d like to see Arsene Wenger go with…..

Szczesny faces a late fitness test on a rib injury but either way Ospina will start in goal. The Colombian has now firmly established himself as our No.1 and that shouldn’t change this weekend.

Koscielny is also facing a late fitness test on a thigh injury that forced him off against Liverpool last Saturday. I wouldn’t take any chances with the Frenchman so I’d bring in Gabriel alongside Mertesacker.

Debuchy has been declared fit but Bellerin deserves to keep his place after another excellent showing last week. On the other side, I’d give Gibbs a start ahead of Monreal. Nacho’s not done anything wrong but we need to keep them both match-sharp.

We now have a wealth of midfield options to choose from after Wilshere, Diaby and Arteta were all declared fit and available. I personally don’t think any of the trio should start just yet as they’ve only just returned from long injuries so we should ease them back in off the bench.

Arsene still has a tough choice to make and after playing much of the Liverpool game out on the right wing, I think Rambo should go back into the middle alongside Coquelin and give Cazorla a breather.

Ozil and Sanchez should obviously continue in attack with Welbeck coming in to join them in supporting Giroud – who continued his stunning goal-scoring form with his 10th goal in 10 games last week.

So this is how I’d line-up:

This line-up would then leave the likes of Cazorla, Walcott, Wilshere, Arteta, Rosicky, Monreal and Debuchy to choose form on the bench. Oxlade-Chamberlain is still out with a hamstring injury but he’s the only real concern.

It’s great to see the squad looking so strong at this stage of the season and Arsene now has some real selection dilemma’s all over the pitch.

Let’s hope we can keep our run going and open up a gap from United and City ahead of their clash on Sunday.