Arsenal travel to France on Tuesday night, hoping to achieve the seemingly impossible by overturning a two-goal deficit against AS Monaco in the UEFA Champions League lat 16 second leg.
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The Gunners MUST score at least three goals to even stand a chance of progressing into the quarter-finals and here’s how we reckon Arsene Wenger’s side will line up.
Formation: 4-3-3.
GK: David Ospina
The Colombian international has established himself as the club’s current number one. His performance in the first leg was called into question, so expect a response.
RB: Hector Bellerin
Another player who struggled in the 3-1 defeat at the Emirates, but the youngster has progressed enormously this season and will start again in France.
CB: Per Mertesacker
At fault for Monaco’s second goal in the first leg, then dropped for the Everton game four days later. Back in the team due to Gabriel’s injury, the German looked back to his best against Man United – his leadership and experience will be key.
CB: Laurent Koscielny
When the Frenchman plays, Arsenal usually look more solid. The best defender at the club was superb on Saturday and will need to on top form again.
LB: Nacho Monreal
One of Wenger’s toughest decisions will be who to deploy at left-back. Kieran Gibbs is more suited to an all-out attack approach than Monreal, but, given that Arsenal don’t have to chase the game from the get-go, expect the more defensive-minded Spaniard to start.
DM: Francis Coquelin
Arguably the club’s most improved player this season, surely one of the first names on the team-sheet at the moment and, despite the return of Mathieu Flamini, Coquelin should retain his place in the side.
MC: Aaron Ramsey
The Welshman looked back to his best against West Ham at the weekend – his link-up play with Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud was key to the 3-0 win. After having his season disrupted by injuries, he should be fresh and raring to go in France.
MC: Santi Cazorla
The other change from Saturday’s win against West Ham should see the Spaniard start instead of Theo Walcott. It’s important the visitors get control of the midfield area. Who better than Cazorla to do that?
RW: Mesut Ozil
It is just impossible to leave out Ozil against the mean defence that Monaco have. His movement off the ball and ability to find the killer pass means he has to start.
CF: Olivier Giroud
No other Arsenal player will be more fired up than Giroud, after his well documented struggles in front of goal in the first leg, the in-form striker will be desperate to prove all his doubters wrong and fire the Gunners into the quarter-finals.
LW: Alexis Sanchez
Arsenal’s player of the season so far has gone off the boil in recent weeks, but the quality remains, so expect him to give everything in order to help the Gunners try to overturn the 3-1 deficit.
SUBS: Szczesny, Gibbs, Chambers, Flamini, Rosicky, Walcott, Welbeck.