Arsenal predicted XI v Girona as £25m man given rare start and Myles Lewis-Skelly decision made

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Arsenal will look to secure the point that will guarantee them access to the last 16 of the Champions League when they take on Girona on Wednesday night.

The Gunners ran out 3-0 winners over Dinamo Zagreb last time out to all-but guarantee them a spot in the next round of the competition.

Arsenal sit three points clear of the Champions League play-offs with a much better goal difference than any team on 13 points.

TBR Football looks at who Mikel Arteta could name in the Arsenal starting XI for the game at the Estadi Montilivi.

READ MORE: Arsenal offered £40m striker who Luciano Spalletti said has become a ‘complete player’ in the box

Arsenal team news v Girona

There were doubts over captain Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino after both missed the weekend win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, Arteta has confirmed that Merino is available, while Odegaard was spotted in training ahead of the Girona match.

Myles Lewis-Skelly’s red card from the Wolves game has been rescinded, but he would have been able to play against Girona anyway as the ban would have only applied to domestic games.

Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White are all still sidelined.

Academy duo Salah Oulad M’Hand and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji were spotted in Arsenal training ahead of the Girona clash.

Myles Lewis-Skelly backed to be dropped as Kieran Tierney gets rare start

Although Arteta said he’d be naming a strong team, he could well make a few changes with Manchester City coming up at the weekend.

David Raya is likely to start between the sticks, even though Arteta could potentially opt for Neto if he wanted to rest the Spaniard.

William Saliba could be rested as he’s not long come back from a hamstring injury, with Jakub Kiwior potentially taking his place.

Kieran Tierney could be given a chance at left-back, so as to give Lewis-Skelly a rest ahead of the Man City clash.

The £25million man is set to swap Arsenal for Celtic this year, so it could potentially be his last Gunners outing.

Meanwhile, Thomas Partey could be tried again at right-back in order to give Timber a rest.

Jorginho is pushing for a start and we think he’ll be deployed at the base of midfield, with Odegaard and Merino either side of him.

As for the attack, we think Leandro Trossard will lead the line, with Gabriel Martinelli on the left and Ethan Nwaneri on the right.

Arsenal predicted XI v Girona (4-3-3): Raya; Partey, Gabriel, Kiwior, Tierney; Odegaard, Jorginho, Merino; Nwaneri, Trossard, Martinelli