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Giroud & Ramsey to start in 4-2-3-1: My Arsenal XI to face Palace

By on December 30, 2016

aaron ramsey arsenal

Arsenal desperately need a win to cling on to any faint hopes of winning the Premier League title when we welcome Crystal Palace to the Emirates on New Year’s Day. This is the team I’d like to see Arsene Wenger go with….

Goalkeeper: Cech

Cech barely had anything to do as he secured a much-needed clean sheet against West Brom last time out but I have a feeling he’ll be a lot busier against Palace this weekend.

Defence: Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal

Mustafi is back in contention after recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out for three games and it’s a no-brainer for the German international to come straight back in.

Gabriel will be the man to drop out with Koscielny keeping his place while Bellerin will also once again start at right-back, however, we’ll need to switch things up at left-back as Gibbs has been ruled out after suffering a knee injury during the win over West Brom on Monday so Monreal will have to be recalled.

Midfield: Ramsey, Xhaka

Ramsey made his return from a hamstring injury with an appearance off the bench on Monday and I’m once again going to call for the Welshman to be paired alongside Xhaka in midfield.

I really don’t like the Coquelin-Xhaka combination as it’s far too reserved and Coquelin playing the box-to-box role is the stuff of nightmares as he offers virtually nothing going forward.

Let’s give Rambo-Xhaka a chance to develop as it has the potential to be an excellent partnership while Cazorla is still out.

Attack: Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud

arsenal's olivier giroud

Image credit: Daily Star

Giroud answered his critics by scoring a vital late winner over Albion and while I think in 99% of games he should be used as a ‘plan B’ off the bench, this is perhaps one game where we could do with him from the start.

Sam Allardyce’s sides are always a threat from set plays and Palace will be no exception as they’re a big physical side and Giroud’s presence will be very useful at both ends of the field.

It also makes sense to start the Frenchman as Walcott is out with a calf injury so Sanchez can start on the left-wing with Oxlade-Chamberlain coming back in on the right after recovering from a minor hamstring injury.

Ozil will obviously keep his place in attack while Welbeck is edging closer to being in contention after returning to full training but the striker is still not fit enough to return to the squad.

This would be my line-up:

In reality, we’ll probably see Wenger stick with Coquelin alongside Xhaka in midfield and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ramsey played from the wing if Oxlade-Chamberlain is deemed not fit enough to start as he’s only due to resume full training tomorrow.

Either way, we should have a strong enough side to see off Palace and secure a much-needed win.