Jesus decision, will Rice return? Predicted Arsenal XI against Crystal Palace
Jesus decision, will Rice return? Predicted Arsenal XI against Crystal Palace
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice should make an immediate return to the starting XI for the Gunners' Premier League London derby against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday evening.
The England international sat out Wednesday's 3-2 EFL Cup quarter-final win over Oliver Glasner's troops, having picked up a minor injury in last weekend's goalless draw with Everton.
However, Arteta declared Rice fit before the midweek game, suggesting that he was merely being rested, and the lynchpin is now primed to reclaim his rightful place in the heart of Arsenal's midfield.
Once again, all of Arsenal's fitness concerns come in the rearguard, as Ben White (knee) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are definitely missing, while Oleksandr Zinchenko (muscle) and Riccardo Calafiori (knee) are unlikely to be back just yet either.
Kieran Tierney made his first start for Arsenal since 2023 on Wednesday before being forcibly withdrawn, but the Scotsman is only thought to have been suffering from cramp and should be OK to play on Saturday.
Two starts in the space of four days should be out of the question, though, so Myles Lewis-Skelly should return to the backline, which will also see Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba reform their solid partnership.
The Thomas Partey right-back experiment was abandoned after 45 minutes on Wednesday, but the Ghanaian should now revert to midfield duties alongside Rice and Martin Odegaard as Jurrien Timber returns to his natural position.
Hat-trick hero Gabriel Jesus could not have done more to put his name in the hat for a start, but Arteta is expected to recall Kai Havertz to the attacking trident, as well as Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, the latter of whom has scored five Premier League goals against Palace in the past.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
> Click here to see how Palace could line up for this game