Well-rested Gunners to stop Foxes in their tracks
Leicester City have temporarily at least sorted out their defensive woes, and look strong to be in the quarter finals of the UEFA Conference League with a 2-0 first leg win over Rennes. However, there isn't too much of a gap to rest and recuperate before they visit the Emirates to face a confident Arsenal side in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. Read our preview here:
Archangels Gabriel
Mikel Arteta only has Takehiro Tomiyasu and Emile Smith-Rowe (injury and Covid) on the sidelines, so the XI should have a familiar look to it. In the centre of defence, Gabriel Magalhães has formed an effective, if not yet water-tight partnership with Ben White, which emphasises short, quick passes to beat the opposition's press. Further upfield, Gabriel Martinelli's goal in the 3-2 win over Wolves ultimately proved decisive. The Brazilian forward offers a different kind of threat to Smith-Rowe, and should continue to profit from Alexandre Lacazette's seflessness up top.
A keen'un is Kel
Without Jamie Vardy once more, the other attack-minded players have stepped up recently to make the veteran striker's absence less keenly felt. James Maddison could be the nominal right-sided forward of the trio, dovetailing with Harvey Barnes and offering an outlet to Kelechi Ihenacho in the half-spaces. The latter has been mostly used from the bench due to increased competition with last summer's arrival of Patson Daka, but his interconnectivity and ability to hold up the ball will be key to the Foxes spending considerable amounts of time in their opponents' final third.
Betting tip
Whilst a repeat of Leicester's win in the red half of north London is far from impossible, Arsenal, minus some defensive lapses, are looking the strongest of the sides below the top three at present by some distance. Therefore, odds of 2.90 for a fifth win on the trot whilst allowing Brendan Rodgers' men some form of consolation with Parimatch appears to be a good tip.
