Arsenal head to Old Trafford today for their FA Cup quarter-final match with Manchester United in what could prove to be one of the most exciting games of the season, with both teams knowing that a loss could put a physiological scar on the team as they still compete against each other for that all-important top-four finish.
Goalkeeper
In goal we expect manager Arsene Wenger to keep his promise to Polish international Wojciech Szczesny by letting him return to goal for cup matches after the 24-year-old has recovered from illness that kept him out of the squad for the match against QPR.
Personally we would have stuck with David Ospina between the posts as we feel as though the Colombian tends to rise to the big occasions and unlikely to make any silly mistakes that we have seen in the past from Szczesny.
Defence
The back-four will most likely remain unchanged from the side that faced QPR with Koscielny and Mertesacker in the heart of defence with Kieran Gibbs at left-back and Hector Bellerin out on the right. Wenger however may be tempted to play Nacho Monreal in place of Gibbs, all depending on whether or not the Spaniard passes a medical test for his back-sprain.
This match is a huge game for Mertesacker and could well decide the big Germans future at the Emirates with his mistake against Monaco still fresh in everyone’s minds, and with Gabriel Paulista out with a hamstring injury the German must prove solid in the Gunners defence.
Midfield
Francis Coquelin is a must in the team even with a broken nose where he will sit just above the back-line with Santi Cazorla.
Here now lies the dilemma for Wenger after having already pencilled in Olivier Giroud, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil it leaves just one place for either Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Danny Welbeck and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Walcott we will take out of the equation as he appears to have fallen out with the Frenchman for his lack of effort in the defence department, and while we would have stuck with Danny Welbeck hoping he wanted to prove something to his old club, we feel as if Wenger may well give the start to Ramsey with the Ox remaining on the bench.
Attack
Once more we will see the former Montpellier man alone up front with Arsenal hoping his has his goal scoring boots on after at times looking brilliant and at others just lost out on the pitch not knowing where to go.
This is an extremely important game for the Gunners whose biggest challenge will be to overcome a mental block and push for a win against a United team who to be honest have racked up points while playing poorly. The win is there for Arsenal they just have to now go out and make the game their own.
