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[Image] Aubameyang & Lacazette out, Ozil returns? – My Arsenal line-up vs Watford

By on July 25, 2020

pierre-emerick aubameyang arsenal

Arsenal take on Watford at the Emirates on Sunday in our final Premier League game of the season. Here’s the line-up I’d like Mikel Arteta to select…

Tuesday’s defeat at Aston Villa means we can no longer finish in the top seven or qualify for Europe via the league so Arsenal’s main focus has to be on preparing for the FA Cup final and keeping key men fit to face Chelsea next weekend.

Arteta has suggested he’ll play a strong side against Watford as they battle with Villa to stay in the league but we need to be selfish and look after our own interests first, so I think we should protect a few players.

Bernd Leno could be back in contention for the cup final as he’s due to resume full training next week but Emi Martinez deserves to keep his place and should start against Watford tomorrow.

I’d rest David Luiz and Kieran Tierney so Sokratis and Sead Kolasinac can join Rob Holding in Arsenal’s back three. Shkodran Mustafi will miss the final two games with a hamstring injury so is out along with Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari.

I’d start Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the left. If he puts-in another impressive display he should be in contention to start against Chelsea. Cedric Soares looks like he’s still not fully match fit yet but I’d start Hector Bellerin on the right.

Dani Ceballos should keep his place in the middle of the park tomorrow afternoon but I’d give Granit Xhaka a rest as Arsenal are just not the same without him and can’t afford for him to get injured ahead of the cup final.

mesut ozil arsenal 2018

That would mean Lucas Torreira starting in midfield as Matteo Guendouzi obviously won’t feature after being axed from the squad by Arteta due to concerns over his attitude and behaviour.

I’d give our main front three a rest ahead of the Chelsea game so Reiss Nelson can come in for Nicolas Pepe on the right side of attack after he recovered from a minor groin issue that kept him out of the Villa game.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should obviously be rested as it would be crazy to start him in this dead rubber against Watford. Bukayo Saka’s form has dipped lately so he could do with a morale-boosting performance ahead of the cup final so I’d start him on the left.

Alexandre Lacazette has played a lot of football lately while Eddie Nketiah was suspended so I’d give him a breather. Nketiah struggled on the wing in midweek but he’s much better through the middle so he can lead Arsenal’s attack against Watford.

Mesut Ozil is still being left out by Arteta but I think this could be a good opportunity to bring him back into the fold as we badly lack creativity and he could give us a little spark off the bench.

The last thing we need is to be chasing a goal in the cup final and Arteta has no creative options on the bench so it really can’t hurt to have Ozil in reserve if needed. Let’s give him some minutes against Watford and put him on the bench against Chelsea.

Here is how I hope Arsenal line-up:

football formations