Mikel Arteta opts for £27m 'magician' up top: Arsenal predicted XI vs Tottenham for the North London derby

09/13/2024 01:35 AM

Ahead of the upcoming North London derby, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal midfield has probably never been so uncertain, an unfavourable situation before such a significant tie.

But with absence comes opportunity, and Arteta will be able to hand at least two new Arsenal players a chance in comparison to the team that faced Brighton & Hove Albion.

Declan Rice will be missing due to his suspension and Martin Odegaard picked up an ankle injury whilst playing for Norway – two big losses.

However, Arsenal improved their squad depth for this exact kind of situation this summer, even if Mikel Merino is now injured himself when he would have been handed a start.

And as well as deciding whether to play Raheem Sterling, Arteta also has the opportunity to make a brave move in handing 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri his full debut.

Leandro Trossard starts as a false nine for Arsenal vs Tottenham

Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori is also an option to come in for one of the missing midfielders, a move that would see Jurrien Timber move into the middle.

However, given Calafiori suffered his own injury whilst away over the break, he'll likely remain on the bench if he's fit to do so.

READ MORE: Jamie Carragher can't believe what Gary Neville has just said about Arsenal's Declan Rice

Therefore, it's a familiar back five for Arteta heading to N17, perhaps the defensive line a lot of the club's supporters would consider their strongest.

In midfield, Jorginho seems the obvious choice to come in, sitting alongside Thomas Partey in a slightly altered midfield shape.

Of the two, it seems most likely that Partey would play the 'Rice role' when going forwards, even if it may be uncomfortable for him too.

Alongside the duo, Kai Havertz will likely surrender his false nine role because of the absences, which is a shame in itself.

Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri both on the bench

In attack, £27m winger Leandro Trossard may start as a false nine, effectively dovetailing with Havertz throughout the game which we often saw last season.

Trossard has been hailed as a 'magician' in the past, an experienced head who produced a match-winning performance from the bench against Aston Villa.

That means that the left-wing role will be vacant for one of either Gabriel Martinelli or Sterling.

Perhaps Arteta will make the bold call to opt for the latter, but it may damage Martinelli's confidence further were he overlooked.

A huge test for Arteta's side once again, and Ian Wright isn't happy with Paul Scholes' score prediction for Arsenal's trip to Tottenham.