Gabriel Jesus decision made as £42m man returns: Arsenal predicted XI v Crystal Palace
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Arsenal will look to build on their midweek Carabao Cup against Crystal Palace when they take on the same opposition in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Gunners ran out 3-2 winners over the Eagles on Wednesday as Gabriel Jesus ended his goal drought with a hat-trick.
Arsenal will hope for more of the same against Crystal Palace when they head to Selhurst Park for their 5:30pm GMT kick-off.
TBR Football looks at who Mikel Arteta could name in his starting XI for the meeting with Oliver Glasner’s side.
READ MORE: Arsenal fans all make the same point about Eddie Nketiah after Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace
Arsenal team news v Crystal Palace
Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori are set to return to the Arsenal squad after they both missed the game on Wednesday.
Oleksandr Zinchenko could also be in contention to play, but fellow defenders Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain out with knee injuries.
Arsenal predicted XI v Crystal Palace
Arteta is likely to overhaul the starting line-up that took on Palace in midweek.
Calafiori’s return to fitness should see the £42million Italian named at left-back, while Jurrien Timber could switch to right-back to accommodate Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.
Thomas Partey would therefore move from right-back to midfield, with the returning Rice and captain Martin Odegaard completing the midfield three.
Arteta’s biggest dilemma is in attack, with Kai Havertz first-choice up front but Jesus doing his best to stake a claim for a return to the XI.
In this instance, we predict the Arsenal boss will reinstate his first-choice front line, with Havertz leading the line and Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli either side of him.
Jesus would drop to the bench along with Jakub Kiwior, Kieran Tierney, Ethan Nwaneri, Jorginho, Mikel Merino, Raheem Sterling and Leandro Trossard.
Although Paul Merson called for Sterling to start on the left, Arteta is likely to keep faith with Martinelli in hope he’ll hit form like Jesus did in midweek.
Arsenal predicted XI v Crystal Palace: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
