Mikel Arteta could make a number of changes to the starting lineup ahead of Arsenal's clash against Ipswich Town
Martin Zubimendi, Max Dowman, Piero Hincapie and Marli Salmon are all in contention for the Arsenal clash with Ipswich Town
Martin Zubimendi, Max Dowman, Piero Hincapie and Marli Salmon are all in contention for the Arsenal clash with Ipswich Town(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Arsenal take on Ipswich Town in the third round of the League Cup. The Gunners travel to Suffolk with their 100% start to the season maintained, recently returning from an impressive victory over Sunderland on Wearside.
The expectation is that Mikel Arteta will rotate and Gary O’Neil has already admitted that he too will change plenty of his squad. The Tractor Boys beat Leicester City in the second round to set up a meeting with the Premier League champions.
With such a deep squad, Arteta has plenty of decisions to make across the side and could welcome back some young stars to the group too after Marli Salmon and Max Dowman only played on hour for the under-21s this weekend.
With that in mind, football.london’s writers have given their thoughts on who they would choose to start the clash on Tuesday evening.
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Tom Canton
If I could make 11 changes from the game against Sunderland I would but the 10 here will have to suffice. Even then, Myles Lewis-Skelly moves into a left-back position for this one.
I have to be honest, while I never want Arsenal to lose, if they were to exit the League Cup at this stage, it would be fair to say I would not be losing any sleep over it. That said, it would be equally disappointing if the depth the side have cannot overcome newly-promoted Ipswich, especially considering they, too, are expected to make changes.
Most keenly, there are opportunities for some players who need the exposure, such as Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and especially Max Dowman. Knowing Arteta, he will be looking to win and win well to keep the perfect start to the season going.
There is an added benefit that their Premier League opponents, Brighton, play a day later giving them less time to recover for Saturday’s clash on the south coast.
Canton Arsenal XI vs Ipswich Town: Kepa; Salmon, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Merino, Eze; Dowman, Gyokeres, Madueke
Jake Stokes
Although Mikel Arteta may be inclined to make wholesale changes to the Arsenal starting lineup, he'll be desperate to add a new piece of silverware to his trophy cabinet. Illan Meslier should probably start for the sake of rotation, but David Raya needs to remain between the sticks if the Gunners want to actually progress in the Carabao Cup.
At the back, Arteta should make as many changes as possible, allowing those who played at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium and the Stadium of Light a chance to recharge their batteries. Obviously, not having Ezri Konsa or Gabriel Magalhaes at the heart of the backline won't be ideal, but it's about time the Arsenal boss gives the duo a much-deserved rest.
Bruno Guimaraes has earned a place in the midfield; meanwhile, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard need to put their feet up. Up top, I expect Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze to flank Viktor Gyokeres. It would be nice to see Max Dowman feature, too, but I think he'll have to settle for minutes off the bench.
Stokes’ Arsenal XI vs Ipswich Town: Raya; Timber, Salmon, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Guimaraes, Merino; Madueke, Gyokeres, Eze