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My Preferred Arsenal Starting XI To Face Liverpool

By on February 14, 2014

Our hectic week continues as we take on Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Arsenal will be out for revenge following last weeks 5-1 thrashing at Anfield and the boss says the Merseysiders are the perfect opponents this weekend as it gives us a chance to put last week right.

He’s hinted he’ll make some changes for the game, which I fear could be a mistake. Yes we have Bayern Munich on Wednesday but I feel the FA Cup is our best chance of a trophy this season so should be treated as such.

While Szczesny is obviously the better goalkeeper, I think it’s safe to say Arsene is going to pick Fabianski in goal for the game. The Pole has done well in previous rounds so hopefully this won’t cost us.

I really hope the boss resists the temptation to bring in Carl Jenkinson. Liverpool aren’t in Europe so will field their best team and Sagna’s presence will be important in trying to keep the likes of Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling quiet.  So let’s play our best back four.

Mathieu Flamini is almost certain to start after serving his three-match ban, but it will be interesting to see what happens with Arteta. He looked knackered against United in midweek so could certainly do with a rest but he’s going to be suspended against Bayern so it would make sense to play him on Sunday. Personally, I think he’ll struggle to cope with the pace of the Liverpool attack, just as he did last week at Anfield, so I’d leave him out.

Santi Cazorla is set to miss the game through ‘illness’, but many feel he’s simply being rested. We have lacked pace in recent games so I’d like to see The Ox start on the right and I think we’ll see Podolski make a rare appearance. He’s being treated very poorly by Wenger recently. I just hope the boss has worries over the Germans fitness and isn’t freezing him out because Lukas doesn’t deserve that.

Olivier Giroud has been well below par in recent games and tiredness is definitely a factor, so I’d bring Bendtner in. If he’s hungry, the Dane can be as good as Giroud up front.

Here’s my team:

Do you agree with my team? What eleven would you start?

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