Mikel Arteta hasn’t hid where his priorities lie in recent weeks, with his Arsenal team selections very much indicating the Champions League is the most important competition the Gunners are currently involved in.
In truth, few would argue with that assessment, particularly after Tuesday’s remarkable quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid. Declan Rice’s two sublime free-kicks and the excellent team move that was finished off by Mikel Merino handed Arsenal a 3-0 lead ahead of the reverse fixture at the Bernabeu this week.
Given Arsenal has never won the Champions League, and Arteta is still searching for a first trophy with the side he has built over the last five years, progressing to the last four of the competition is of huge importance. That the Gunners trail Liverpool in the title race by 11 points and have no realistic chance of catching Arne Slot ’s also underlines how vital Arsenal’s European ambitions are.
Therefore, the Premier League clash against Brentford feels a tad irrelevant in comparison to the midweek trip to Madrid and, not surprisingly, Arteta has chosen to rest several players for the game at the Emirates. The Spaniard has made five changes with Jurrien Timber, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Merino dropping out of the starting XI.
Jorginho and Oleksandr Zinchenko have been handed rare starts, while Kieran Tierney has been named in a Premier League line-up for the first time this season. Regulars David Raya, Rice and Gabriel Martinelli have retained their places from midweek – due to the number of injuries Arteta didn’t have much choice.
For that reason, William Saliba and Jakub Kiwior continue at center-back, with Timber afforded a rest and Ben White not available in the latest Arsenal injury update.
Saturday’s team selection was anticipated from Arteta given Timber, Thomas Partey, Odegaard, Saka and Martinelli were named on the bench last week at Goodison Park. That result moved the Gunners to within 11 points of Liverpool in the title race and the leaders failed to extend that gap the following day at Craven Cottage.
Both sides have seven more league games this term and Liverpool needs just 10 points to secure top spot – a tally that will decrease if Arsenal slips up against Brentford. There is still an outside chance the Reds will be crowned champions at Leicester next Sunday.
Arsenal Starting XI : Raya, Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Tierney, Jorginho, Rice, Zinchenko, Nwaneri, Martinelli, Trossard.
Substitutes : Neto, Timber, Lewis-Skelly, Henry-Francis, Odegaard, Saka, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji, Merino.
