Lacazette out as Arteta makes 1 key change | Predicted Arsenal line-up vs Watford

Arsenal take on Watford at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Here is the team Gooner Mac thinks Mikel Arteta will select:

Goalkeeper: Aaron Ramsdale continued his excellent form with another impressive performance during the 2-0 win at Leicester City last weekend so he’s expected to keep his place in goal ahead of Bernd Leno on Sunday.

Defence: Arsenal have been handed a boost with the news that Kieran Tierney is back in training after missing the last three matches with an ankle issue. However, the Scottish international may not be rushed back as Arteta won’t want to aggravate the problem and Nuno Tavares has deputised well in Tierney’s absence.

Takehiro Tomiyasu should continue in the right-back position for Arsenal while Ben White will once again line-up alongside Gabriel at the heart of defence so the likes of Rob Holding and Callum Chambers will have to settle for places among the substitutes.

Midfield: Arsenal will once again be without the services of Granit Xhaka as he’s been ruled out for the rest of the year with a knee ligament injury that he picked up against Tottenham in late September.

Odegaard starts

Albert Sambi Lokonga has been impressing in recent games so he’s likely to keep his place alongside Thomas Partey in Arsenal’s midfield with Mohamed Elneny and Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the bench.

Alexandre Lacazette started in the attacking central midfield role last weekend and did a reasonable job but Martin Odegaard is pushing for a recall so the Norwegian international could come in to start against Watford.

Attack: Emile Smith Rowe continued his excellent form with another goal against Leicester so he should keep his place this weekend. Bukayo Saka should also start against Watford so Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli will have to settle for places on the bench.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to lead the line up front once again for the Gunners on Sunday but with Lacazette also among the subs along with Martinelli and Pepe, Arteta has plenty of attacking options if needed.

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