Arsenal FC ventures to minnows Portsmouth FC tomorrow night for a FA Cup round of 16 clash. Mikel Arteta’s squad do have some fitness concerns though as they prepare to take on a side from League One, the third tier of English football.
Let’s run through them now. Defenders Calum Chambers (knee) and Kieran Tierney (shoulder) remain out as long-term injury absentees while January transfer window addition Cedric Soares still hasn’t recovered from his knee problem.
Shkodran Mustafi is a doubt so January window addition Pablo Mari could finally be in line for his start in a Gunners shirt.
Here’s the team we believe Arteta will field in this one.
Arsenal Starting XI Prediction (4-2-3-1):
Martinez; Sokratis, Mari, Luiz, Saka; Guendouzi, Xhaka; Nelson, Willock, Martinelli; Nketiah
Arsenal FC at Portsmouth FA Cup Round of 16, FYIs
Kickoff: March 2, 7:45 pm, Fratton Park
Last Five Meetings: Arsenal wins 4, Draw 1, Portsmouth wins 0
Aggregate Score: Portsmouth (LLLLD) 12-2 Arsenal (WWWWD)
TV: BT Sport 1
Prediction: Arsenal FC 4, Portsmouth 0
With having now been dumped out of Europa League, and their chances of finishing in the top four pretty slim, this tournament is probably the biggest and best thing that the Gunners have to play for this season. They will likely bring a strong effort, against a very under-matched opponent.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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