£382,000-a-week quartet benched as New signed decision made- Leeds United v Arsenal starting XIs

£382,000-a-week quartet benched as New signed decision made- Leeds United v Arsenal starting XIs

Arsenal vs Leeds United: Premier League Preview, Team News & Predicted Line-Ups

Arsenal will host Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening, with both sides aiming to continue their perfect starts to the Premier League season.

Mikel Arteta’s men secured a hard-fought 1-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford in their opener, despite a lackluster performance. Leeds, under Daniel Farke, also began with a strong result — edging Everton 1-0 courtesy of a late Lukas Nmecha penalty.

Both managers are dealing with injury concerns ahead of the clash, and GIVEMESPORT has predicted how the teams might line up.

Arsenal Team News

The Gunners had a near full-strength squad last weekend but have been hit with several fresh injury issues in the build-up to this game.

Forward Kai Havertz has suffered a knee injury and is expected to be out for an extended period. Defender Ben White and midfielder Christian Norgaard also missed training sessions. Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus remains sidelined with an ACL injury sustained back in January. Summer signing Eberechi Eze has yet to be officially registered in time for this match.

Arteta’s Injury Update

Speaking ahead of the game, Mikel Arteta provided updates on several key players:

• Kai Havertz: “He’s definitely unavailable for tomorrow. We’re still assessing the extent of the injury. It’s frustrating, especially after such a strong recovery period.”
• Christian Norgaard: “He won’t be in the squad this weekend and is likely out for at least a week.”
• Ben White: “We’ll monitor how he reacts before making a final decision.”
• Jurrien Timber: “We’re managing his workload carefully after his long-term injury.”
• Gabriel Jesus: “He’s progressing really well. His attitude has been fantastic, but we want to bring him back the right way.”

Predicted Arsenal XI

Starting XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Gyokeres.
Bench: Kepa, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Mosquera, Merino, Nwaneri, Madueke, Trossard.

After their opening win, Arsenal are expected to stick with a similar starting line-up. Leandro Trossard and Mikel Merino, both high earners at the club, are likely to be among the substitutes, along with newcomers Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera.

Leeds United Team News

Leeds kicked off their top-flight return with a significant win over Everton, but they’ll be without captain Ethan Ampadu, who sustained a knee injury and is expected to be out until after the international break.

Jayden Bogle should retain his place after passing a late fitness test last week. Jaka Bijol is available again following suspension, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin is unlikely to feature as he works towards full match fitness after joining as a free agent.

Farke’s Injury Update

In his pre-match press conference, Daniel Farke confirmed:

• Ethan Ampadu: “He’s out until after the international break — a big loss as he’s our captain and a key part of the squad.”
• Dominic Calvert-Lewin: “His endurance levels are good, but he’s still lacking team training. We’ll decide when he’s ready to be included.”

Predicted Leeds XI

Starting XI: Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Gruev, Stach, Tanaka; James, Piroe, Gnonto.
Bench: Darlow, Byram, Bornauw, Longstaff, Harrison, Aaronson, Nmecha, Ramazani, Okafor.

With Ampadu ruled out, Bulgaria international Ilia Gruev is expected to step into the midfield to bolster defensive solidity. Jack Harrison and new addition Noah Okafor are set to start on the bench as Leeds look to pull off an upset.