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Arsenal v Leicester preview, team news, trio recalled + prediction

By on April 26, 2017

Arsenal desperately need to get all three points to keep alive our top four hopes when we entertain Leicester City at the Emirates this evening.

It’s been a hugely frustrating past few months but the season could still end on a positive note if we can put a good run of results together over the closing stages of the campaign.

We’re in to the final of the FA Cup after beating Manchester City 2-1 on Sunday afternoon while we still have a chance of sneaking in to the top four in the Premier League.

As it stands, we sit seventh in the table but we can move to within four points of fourth-placed Man City with a win tonight ahead of their huge clash with Man Utd tomorrow night.

We’ll also move level on points with Liverpool if we win our three games in hand and still need to host United at the Emirates so we could yet secure Champions League football next season.

Team News

Oxlade-Chamberlain is expected to be passed fit despite picking up a foot problem against City at the weekend having been forced off in extra-time.

Mustafi is still nursing a thigh injury so he remains out along with Ospina but Perez was back in training this week after recovering from injury – although it remains to be seen whether he’s ready to return to the squad.

Wenger might be tempted to freshen things up after we played 120 minutes on Sunday so the likes of Walcott, Welbeck, Gibbs, Bellerin and Elneny could be in contention.

As for Leicester, they’ll be without skipper Wes Morgan due to a hamstring injury while Islam Slimani and Papy Mendy are also unavailable.

Preferred line-up

I hope we see the boss sticks with the 3-4-3 formation that’s helped us to consecutive victories and while the back three picks itself, I do think we should change things up in midfield.

The Ox has been excellent in the right wing-back role but Bellerin is the future in that position so I’d bring him back in while I’d also like to see Gibbs given a chance in the left wing-back role.

The Ox can move in to a central midfield role alongside Xhaka while I’d certainly start Welbeck ahead of Giroud up top.

Prediction

Arsenal were excellent against City for much of the game and we’re going to need to keep-up that sort of intensity during the rest of the season. Leicester might still be hurting from their Champions League exit and they don’t have much left to play for in the league so this could be a good time to play them. We’ve also won our last nine home league games against them so I fancy us to win tonight. I’m going 2-0. Arsenal 2-0 Leicester