Arsenal have a near fully fit squad for their trip to face Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby, and Mikel Arteta now has a good idea of what his best team is.
The Gunners were outstanding in midweek as they thrashed Chelsea 5-0, but this derby is set to be one of the most important in years, as Spurs will do all they can to hinder Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
Arteta has a full squad to pick from as Jurrien Timber is the only doubt, having recovered from his long-term injury which has kept him out since his Premier League debut in August.
With his side performing so well against Chelsea, he could be tempted to stick with the same starting lineup, and perhaps this may be the right move. However, he faces a potential headache in one position.
Arsenal lineup for Tottenham Hotspur clash nearly writes itself
Arsenal’s lineup against Chelsea saw Takehiro Tomiyasu impress at left-back after returning from injury, and he looks certain to be the choice ahead of Oleksandr Zinchenko or Jakub Kiwior.
Thomas Partey was also excellent in midfield, and his increased physicality over Jorginho, as well as the incredible balance in the middle of the park, should mean he starts at the base behind Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
Kai Havertz should lead the line after his brace against Chelsea, meaning that the left wing is the only position which requires any thought over who should start.
Should Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Jesus start the North London derby?
Leandro Trossard is in the best form out of all of Arsenal’s left-wing options. The Belgian has scored 15 goals this season, with three in his last four Premier League games, and opened the scoring in both of Arsenal’s wins last week.
On form, he is easily the best candidate to start, as Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli have blown hot and cold this season.
However, Martinelli may be a tempting selection, given that his raw speed could be deadly against Spurs, given that they will likely play with a high defensive line.
Jesus is also trusted by Arteta in big games, and could be selected on the wing for his technical ability and work rate.
Arteta seems likely to go with his form player in Trossard, but having both Jesus and Martinelli as options off the bench could be vital to Arsenal’s chances of securing victory.