football.londonpredicts Arsenal’s starting XI to face Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday
Arsenal defender Ezri Konsa
Arsenal defender Ezri Konsa has been struggling with a fitness issue
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Arsenal’s ranks have been bolstered by the timely returns of defenders Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie.
None of those three players featured in the 3-0 defeat to Brighton before the international break but all are now ready to help the Gunners as the games come thick and fast.
Crucially, their availability eases any pressure on Arsenal to rush Ezri Konsa back for Leeds after he was forced to withdraw from England’s squad prematurely before the 3-0 win over Czechia.
David Raya will start in goal, then White could well return right-back, even if he is likely to share the load with Jurrien Timber, who has of course also had injury problems of his own. Konsa could well be rested, enabling Mosquera to slot back in alongside Gabriel Magalhaes at centre-back.
Mikel Arteta says Konsa and Kai Havertz are both set for late fitness tests but it feels needless to throw them in if there is any kind of doubt over their availability.
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The pair started the season together and kept three clean sheets against Manchester City (Community Shield), Coventry City and Aston Villa - the game where Mosquera picked up a hamstring issue.
At left-back, Riccardo Calafiori is fresh off the back of scoring his first goal for Italy against Turkey and he looks ready to continue his sparkling early-season form.
Declan Rice should start in central midfielder following his extended break but he wasn’t pictured out on the grass in the club’s training photo gallery on Thursday.
Declan Rice
Declan Rice is ready to feature for Arsenal in midfield(Image: 2026 The Arsenal Football Club Plc)
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He's expected to be fit for the contest, however, and Bruno Guimaraes could well partner him in the centre of the park despite his poor showing at Brighton.
Guimaraes and Myles Lewis-Skelly are both pushing to feature from the get-go but it's unlikely both will start given Rice is well rested.
Bukayo Saka was rested on Tuesday for England against Czechia and should be ready to start alongside Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze, who has a big role to play on the left.
Viktor Gyokeres should lead the line after scoring in all four of Sweden’s Nations League matches. This feels like the right time for the 28-year-old to earn his first top-flight start of the campaign.
Predicted Arsenal XI vs Leeds (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Guimaraes; Saka, Odegaard, Eze; Gyokeres