Ozil Axed As Emery Makes 10 Changes | Expected Arsenal Line-Up vs Southampton

Arsenal will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to 23 games when they take on Southampton at St Mary’s on Sunday afternoon. Here is the side Gooner Mac thinks Unai Emery will select for the game:

Goalkeeper: The boss rotated his goalkeepers once again on Thursday night with Emi Martinez given a rare start against Qarabag. Bernd Leno is expected to be recalled on Sunday with Petr Cech acting as back-up from the bench.

Defence: Emery has gone with a back three in the league recently but it will be interesting to see if he sticks with it against Southampton as we have plenty of problems at centre-back. Rob Holding has been ruled out for the season with a knee ligament injury while both Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi are suspended after collecting five bookings this season leaving Emery with limited options.

Much will depend on how Laurent Koscielny responds to making his first appearance of the season last night. If he’s passed fit to start his second game in four days then I think we’ll see a back three with Kos alongside Nacho Monreal and Stephan Lichtsteiner. If Koscielny’s ruled out, then we may revert to a back four.

Midfield: Sead Kolasinac and Hector Bellerin are set for recalls after being rested against Qarabag last night meaning Carl Jenkinson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles will make way.

Lucas Torreira has been outstanding in recent weeks so he fully-deserved his night off in the Europa League while Granit Xhaka was also given a breather against Qarabag. The duo will return against Southampton on Sunday with Mohamed Elneny and Joe Willock making way. Matteo Guendouzi is expected to be the bench.

Attack: Alexandre Lacazette was a surprise starter last night and despite scoring the winning goal, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on the bench on Sunday with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leading the line up front.

Mesut Ozil also returned to the starting eleven against Qarabag and assisted the goal but he didn’t really get out of first gear and I’m not sure he did enough to force his way back in to Emery’s side. Therefore, I expect to see Ozil back on the bench this weekend.

Buyaka Saka and Eddie Nketiah both impressed in the Europa League but the teenagers will make way against Southampton. Aaron Ramsey is back in full training after recovering from an ankle injury but I think Emery may opt to go with Alex Iwobi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in attack. The boss has often gone with the hard working duo in tough games recently so Ramsey might have to make do with a place on the bench.

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