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. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    C’mon Leicester

  2. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Party time

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

    Noooooo. Arsenallll. Don't loseeee

  4. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Yessssss

  5. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    FFS ! NKETIAH you idiot

    1. HTL
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Dial-up?

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

    Offside

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      wait no

    2. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Confirmed?

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

      Ok I think

  7. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    var go awayyyyy, everytimee

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

    Damn.

  9. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Arseanl CS GONEEEE

  10. Right In The Stanchion
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    The collapse has started. Thanks Eddie.

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

    Get the ruler out time!

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

    Bore off Vardy

  13. J ⚒ Gimme ur Mané
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Get in there my son !!!!

  14. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Martínez second week in a row on my bench
    Ffs

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

      Hey?

  15. HTL
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Gan on Vardy lad

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

    Let’s partyyyyyyyy

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

    VAR checking. Looks fine to me

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

    Looks off

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

      Perez touched it

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

        Given anyway, no clear evidence

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

    Interferes.

  20. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Party!

  21. FPL ZB
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Martinez and Nketiah owner. Rough night.

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

      Tough going

  22. KDB4PREZ
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    As a Vardy and Martínez owner iv no idea what I want

  23. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Perez touch it

  24. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Foenekrntognene dammit Vardy.
    Bottled getting him in for Jimenez/Rashford this week

  25. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    VAR back again to ruin another goal

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

    VARchester United FC.

  27. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    VAR is jsut a massive conspiracy vs me I swear

  28. SAY MY NAME
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    vardy.

  29. HNI
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Vardy is back..Now one more week to keep for Bou match...maybe even captain potential

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

    May take a while