How Mikel Arteta must rotate Arsenal team for Luton Town clash

Mikel Arteta’s side beat Luton 4-3 in December’s reverse fixture (Picture: Getty)

Just three days after drawing with rivals Manchester City, Arsenal continue their Premier League title charge against Luton Town on Wednesday.

The Gunners earned a point following the 0-0 result at the Etihad and sit second in the top-flight table, two points behind Liverpool, with just nine games to go.

Arsenal are hunting down their first Premier League trophy in 20 years as their title battle with Liverpool and City continues to reach a dramatic climax.

Next up for the north Londoners is a clash against 18th-placed Luton, who are locked in a tense relegation fight after their promotion last season.

While Luton have impressed with their attacking play – scoring three more goals than Manchester United this term – they have one of the worst defensive records in the league and Arsenal head into the match at the Emirates as huge favourites.

Arteta has the opportunity to rest some of his stars and one player who could drop to the bench is Bukayo Saka, who only trained one day before Sunday’s showdown against City after pulling out of the England squad due to a knock.

Saka limped off in the 78th minute against City after going down clutching his leg,and while Arteta has confirmed the winger is ‘fine’, the Arsenal boss says he will make a late call as to whether or not the 22-year-old will start against Luton.

How should Arsenal line-up against Luton?

Mikel Arteta could be set to make several changes against Luton (Picture: Metro)

David Raya is set to remain in goal while William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White will likely keep their places in the XI given their glowing form.

The left-back spot is more up for grabs after Jakub Kiwior started there against City, with Takehiro Tomiyasu possibly coming in to replace him, or Oleksandr Zinchenko is another option.

Declan Rice and captain Martin Odegaard will likely be starters but Jorginho could potentially drop out for Thomas Partey.

Thomas Partey could replace Jorginho in the Arsenal XI (Picture: Getty)

In attack, there are likely to be some changes, with Mikel Arteta hinting that Gabriel Martinelli could be handed a start after he played 12 minutes against City.

He may come in for Saka but Martinelli does not normally play on the right side, meaning Gabriel Jesus could have to move across to the left wing.

That would allow either Kai Havertz or Leandro Trossard to start as the central forward and Arteta may decide to go for the latter given the former started against City.

What has Mikel Arteta said about rotation?

Mikel Arteta was asked in Tuesday’s press conference if too many changes could disrupt the team against Luton.

‘That’s a good question,’ the Arsenal boss said. ‘We are always wondering about that and it’s just changing certain personnel in certain moments and those relationships [between the players].

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‘How long they have played together, how much time they have spent together, that can affect it as well – that’s related to what they do in training every single day. We’ll look at all these things and will try to find the right team to win.’

Pushed further on if he prefers just one or two changes – or if he plans on making more than that – he added: ‘Historically we have done both; at times they have worked and other times not as well. It’s very difficult to predict.’

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