Dugout Discussion

Arsenal and Leicester retain three-man backlines for Emirates clash

Mikel Arteta and Brendan Rodgers have kept faith in their respective clubs’ recent switches to a three-man defence for their Emirates Stadium meeting on Tuesday evening.

Arsenal have now been operating in 3-4-3 since Gameweek 31+ winning every match since then without conceding a goal.

As has been the case throughout that run, Sead Kolasinac (£5.2m) sits in the back-three, joined there by David Luiz (£5.7m) and Shkodran Mustafi (£5.1m).

That means Kieran Tierney (£5.3m) and Hector Bellerín (£5.3m) are handed wing-back roles one again, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.9m) and Bukayo Saka (£4.7m) flank Alexandre Lacazette (£9.2m) in the front-three.

As Mason Greenwood‘s (£4.6m) stock continues to rise, Eddie Nketiah (£4.4m) Fantasy credentials are still travelling in the opposite direction. After blanking in the Gameweek 33+ win over Wolves, the former Leeds loanee has been named on the bench for the second time in three matches.

Leicester’s back-three is the foundation for a slightly different shape, featuring Jamie Vardy (£9.7m) and Kelechi Iheanacho (£5.7m) at the front of a 3-4-1-2 formation.

Changing to this system played a big part in the Foxes’ 3-0 win over Crystal Palace last time out, a game in which both of their centre-forwards found the back of the net.

Ayoze Pérez (£6.1m) supports them in a number 10 role tonight with James Justin (£4.7m) and Marc Albrighton (£5.1m) acting as the left and right wing-backs respectively.

That means Ben Chilwell (£5.6m) and James Maddison (£7.4m) have not passed their fitness tests in time, while Harvey Barnes (£6.0m) is named among the substitutes for the fourth match in a row, despite his two assists against Palace.

Arsenal XI: Martínez; Kolasinac, D Luiz, Mustafi; Tierney, Xhaka, Ceballos, Bellerín; Aubameyang, Lacazette, Saka.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel; Söyüncü, Evans, Bennett; Justin, Tielemans, Ndidi, Albrighton; Pérez; Vardy, Iheanacho.

1,215 Comments Post a Comment
  1. TwiggsJameson
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Anyone considering Martinez and Macey double up?

    1. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Good idea if short of funds however Arsenals next fixtures Spurs (a) Pool (h)

  2. SuperMane Returns
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Eddie 0 already

    1. SuperMane Returns
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      May be a -2 actually

      1. Vazza
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        That’d be special

  3. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Red

  4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Eddie could be off here

  5. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    REddie?

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      😆

    2. Ady87
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I lold

  6. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Eyes for the ball but it’s very high

  7. Van der Faart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Got to be a red

  8. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    That looks like a red card. Look at his knee bend.

  9. The Suspended One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Nketiah Red card

  10. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    That's 100% a red lol

  11. Twisted Saltergater
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Any intention?

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      It's nasty, but accidental imo.

  12. Firmino
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    100% Red

  13. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    OMG monitor

  14. SuperMane Returns
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Chris C gone to watch some videobox

  15. Now I'm Panicking
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Oh Nikita

  16. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    How many got him?

  17. Limbo
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Dangerous. Red.

  18. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Nketiah red card after 1 minute.

  19. The Suspended One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Good officiating

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Took one look

      1. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        That’s all it needed.

        1. The Suspended One
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          True

          They need to go to the monitor straight away

  20. Van der Faart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Referee is going to bottle out of giving a red

    1. Van der Faart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Or not. What do I know.

  21. WVA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    It's a red, imagine if Justin's leg had been straight or locked

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Could have been ugly

  22. SuperMane Returns
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Reddie Nketiah ..... -2 for anyone who played him.

  23. Danstoke82
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Nketiah off after just coming on. Anyone still own him?

    1. moment
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      He's on my daughter's bench, but unlikely to come on...

    2. james 101
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      3rd sub on mine.

    3. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Played my bench boost but decided to go Gordon over Nkietah in the end! Phew

  24. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Feels harsh.

    But high and late.

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Not harsh then?

    2. BeaversWithAttitude
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Hells yeah!

  25. Reg83
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    who all got nketiah in the starting 11?

  26. BeaversWithAttitude
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Woo-hoo!

  27. TomSaints
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    So that’s never a red

    1. dark91
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Oh really? Why is that?

  28. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Always looks worse in slow motion

  29. Zimo
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Oh man i feel bad for nketiah. Felt like he was holding back tears

  30. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Get him off the benches!!!

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      This please 😀

    2. DandyDon
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Would be funny after everyone wanted high scores off their benches last gameweek!