What is your predicted Arsenal line-up to face the Blues this afternoon?

We all know that many Arsenal players will be subject to late fitness updates before we can be sure of which team Arteta will be putting out today at Chelsea, with Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Mikel Merino, and possibly another check of how Martin Odegaard is progressing after his long lay off.

But I suspect that Arteta will be fielding a very strong line-up to start the match and all of the above will either be on the pitch or the bench when the teams are announced. One thing for sure is that Raheem Sterling will be in the crowd as he cannot face his parent club.

I am going to take Arteta’s doubts with a pinch of salt and assume that every one of those player will recover, so this is the team I am expecting to see.

Obviously Raya will continue in goal, with our best back four together again in front of him, as in Ben White, Gabriel, Saliba and Timber lining up.

Although Odegaard has had a few minutes play, I think the Boss will go with Thomas Partey, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino, with our captain coming on later for some more game time.

Up front, we should see our normal line-up of Saka, Havertz and Martinelli and I HOPE Kai will be the centre-forward today.

So here is my predicted Arsenal line-up….

David Raya
Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Jurrien Timber
Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, Mikel Merino
Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli

Who are you expecting Arteta to choose today?