Arsenal‘s bout with Leicester City on Sunday is surely a must-win match for Arsene Wenger‘s side.
While the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United have fallen away this season, potentially paving the way for the Gunners, they have wholly failed to capitalise.
Indeed, the north Londoners’ fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur arguably look in better shape than Wenger’s side, while Arsenal find themselves five points behind unlikely leaders Leicester heading into their bout on Sunday.
Regardless of what happens in the day’s other heavyweight clash—between Spurs and Manchester City—defeat for Arsenal would leave them a whopping eight points behind the leaders.
Dauntingly for the Gunners, rampant Leicester appear unfazed by the pressure than can accompany league leaders, as they demonstrated with their demolition of Manchester City last weekend.
How will Wenger counter the threats that Leicester demonstrated last weekend, and how can the French veteran mastermind a win against Claudio Ranieri’s champions-elect?
Wenger will stick with at least four of his regular defence, with Petr Cech likely to be joined by Hector Bellerin, Laurent Koscielny and Ignacio Monreal.
However, will the French boss expose Per Mertesacker to the pace and tenacity of Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy, or opt for Gabriel in the heart of the defence? We’re plumping for the latter…for Per’s sake.
SEE MORE:
BBC pundit heaps the pressure on Arsenal & Arsene Wenger ahead of crunch Leicester bout
Ex-Man City & Real Madrid superstar secures move to domestic giants
EPL playmaker & Man City target signs astonishing £125k-per-week after agent pulls a masterstroke
In midfield, Wenger surely can’t risk the reckless Mathieu Flamini, so expect Francis Coquelin to return to the side, likely joined by Aaron Ramsey.
In attack, we’re tipping Olivier Giroud to be backed by the offensive trio of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.