An important duel awaits tonight at the Philips Stadium, against Arsenal. The team, led by Mikel Arteta since 2019, finished third in the 'league phase' and currently occupies the second spot in the Premier League. The English currently have many injuries, below you will find an overview of the selection.
David Raya will defend the goal of the English superpower. The Spaniard swapped Brentford for Arsenal in 2023 and has been under the crossbar 79 times for the 'Gunners since then. He is known for his goalkeeping skills and only gave up three goals in the UEFA Champions League campaign.
Defense
In defense, we meet a former Eredivisionist with Jurriën Timber. He fills the role of right wing defender and, together with Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba, forms a solid defensive block. In addition, young Myles Lewis-Skelly gets regular minutes played in the left-back position, a role in which he made a great impression against Manchester City. Mikel Arteta's team has had the least-passed defense in the Premier League for the past two seasons, but is struggling with injuries. Takehiro Tomiyasu, for example, has been missing from the back line for months due to a knee injury.
Midfield
In midfield, the 42-year-old exercise master is sticking to his intended base players: Declan Rice, Jorginho and Martin Ødegaard. Rice functions as a defensive midfielder, Ødegaard as a creative playmaker and Jorginho as a versatile link in the midfield. From the base, Arsenal plays in a 4-3-3 formation, although the 'Gunners make extensive use of positional changes.
Attack
In attack, it is mainly puzzling for head coach Mikel Arteta. His intended base players in the forward line, are all absent from the squad. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, the dribblers who give Arsenal wings, are missing. In addition, filling the striker position remains a question mark, as both Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are both out due to injuries. It is possible that Ethan Nwaneri, a 17-year-old from the club's own youth, and Leandro Trossard will start on the flanks. Belgian Trossard is known as a good finisher and excels at maneuvering in tight spaces.