Wenger To Make 2 Changes: Predicted Arsenal XI To Face Stoke City

Arsenal will be hoping to make it two wins from two games when they take on Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday evening. 

Here is the side Gooner Mac thinks Wenger will select for the game:

Goalkeeper: Petr Cech was suspect for two of Leicester’s goals during our thrilling 4-3 win last Friday night but I still think Wenger will stick by him this weekend meaning David Ospina will have to make do with a place on the bench.

Defence: Laurent Koscielny will serve the final game of his three-match ban but Per Mertesacker is back in contention after recovering from a nasty cut above his eye that was sustained against Chelsea in the Community Shield. The German’s height will be useful against Stoke so I think we’ll see him recalled in defence but Arsenal Station think he’ll miss out again.

Shkodran Mustafi has also been declared fit but he’s not featured yet this season so is lacking some match practice. Therefore I think Rob Holding will keep his place in the back three along with Nacho Monreal.

Gabriel is currently in Spain finalising his move to Valencia so has played his final game for Arsenal.

Midfield: Sead Kolasinac played well in the back three against Leicester but I think we’ll see him move out to the left wing-back position this weekend with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain dropping out.

Hector Bellerin should keep his place on the right while Aaron Ramsey is set to return to the starting eleven after coming off the bench to score a vital goal against the Foxes.

Granit Xhaka had a mixed game last time out as he was at fault for the first two goals but grabbed two assists so hopefully he’ll have a more consistent game against Stoke in the middle of the park.

Attack: Alexis Sanchez has once again been ruled out of the game this weekend as Wenger says he’s not yet fully recovered from an abdominal injury so Danny Welbeck should continue in attack.

Mesut Ozil was below his best against Leicester but he didn’t look fit to me so hopefully he should be in better shape on Saturday. Alexandre Lacazette will be looking to build on an excellent debut that saw him open his account inside two minutes.

Olivier Giroud will feel unfortunate to miss out on a start after coming off the bench to score the winner last time out but he’s expected to remain among the subs along with the likes of Theo Walcott and Alex Iwobi.

Here is how I think we’ll see Arsenal line-up: