Arsenal have now been tipped to drop a key member of the beginning eleven for his or her looming opening day conflict in opposition to Manchester United within the Premier League this weekend.
Mikel Arteta is poised to do battle with Ruben Amorim at Outdated Trafford on Sunday, with the north Londoners ending their pre-season preparations as they gear up for yet one more title problem.
Nothing however an ideal begin will do for Arsenal, having watched a plethora of their nearest rivals in Liverpool, Chelsea and Man Metropolis all splash a whole bunch of thousands and thousands on a plethora of summer time signings to bolster their squads.
Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta has been a busy man too, investing north of £200 million on six main signings, with Kepa, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and star striker Viktor Gyokeres all making the transfer to N5.
It’s shaping as much as be one of the aggressive Premier League campaigns in historical past, and particularly close to the highest of the desk, with many standout contenders already making themselves recognized after productive switch home windows.
“I feel on the bodily half we’re in a extremely good place,” mentioned Arteta after Arsenal’s last pre-season recreation in opposition to Athletic Bilbao.
“I feel we now have competed in opposition to very completely different opponents in several contexts, in several nations, so it has been a extremely full pre-season. You consistently be taught and evolve within the group, that is not going to cease now as a result of that is the final take a look at of pre-season. On Monday we’ll proceed to work on issues, on issues that we now have to develop and enhance from right this moment, from the previous couple of video games, and different issues that we wish to nonetheless do. And particularly the mixing of the brand new gamers to make it possible for we create such a bond and spirit within the group that we are able to compete in opposition to the opposition.”
Arteta has a number of crucial choices to make forward of Arsenal’s face-off with United in Manchester, who’re beneath a major quantity of stress themselves to make an excellent begin to 2025/2026.
Arsenal tipped to drop Myles Lewis-Skelly for Man United
Journalist Charles Watts, chatting with CaughtOffside, is satisfied that Arteta may even drop star left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly for the conflict.
The 18-year-old loved a stellar breakthrough marketing campaign final season, together with his performances at full-back incomes Lewis-Skelly each calls to the England squad and a brand-new long-term contract.
The rising star teenager performed 23 Premier League video games final yr, beginning 15 of them, and was handed the nod by Arteta of their blockbuster Champions League ties in opposition to Actual Madrid and PSG.
Lewis-Skelly has been referred to as “unbelievable” by the likes of Gary Neville after his rise to the first-team, and he is now turn out to be a key participant for them.
Nevertheless, Watts believes that Lewis-Skelly shall be axed for United in favour of Riccardo Calafiori.
“I feel who begins at full-back this weekend shall be attention-grabbing for Arsenal. There’s a actual competitors in these positions,” mentioned the reporter.
“When he’s been on the pitch Riccardo Calafiori has appeared excellent. I actually loved his efficiency final weekend and if he’s deemed totally match I feel he would possibly get the nod at left-back over Myles Lewis-Skelly.
“It’s a troublesome name, however Lewis-Skelly hasn’t checked out his finest but this summer time, so I might not be shocked if Arteta goes with the Italian to attempt to negate the specter of Bryan Mbeumo and likewise trigger issues up the opposite finish.”
Calafiori suffered numerous harm issues throughout 2024/2025, which hampered the Italian’s recreation time, but when he can keep match, Arteta could have a significantly star-studded left-back rotation at his disposal.