Arsenal’s predicted XI vs Porto… Mikel Arteta makes two changes, ‘incredible’ £30m man returns

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It feels like one of those season defining moments when Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side face FC Porto for their second leg tonight.

Having lost in Dragao, Arteta now needs his team to produce a goal-ladened performance they’ve been so accustomed to of late.

Arsenal need Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka to show their class yet again, especially given Gabriel Martinelli will be missing the game.

And whilst Arteta has a big selection call to make on the left side of his attack, there’s also several other decisions to be made.

Porto are masters of frustration, they’ll be coming to North London to stop their opponents playing.

And with that in mind, we think Arteta will make two crucial changes to his Arsenal team against Porto tonight.

Starting in net, it definitely shouldn’t be a surprise to see David Raya reinstated.

Aaron Ramsdale certainly didn’t strengthen his claim to a start against Brentford on the weekend, and there seems no doubt that Raya will come back in.

However, ahead of the Spaniard, Arteta does perhaps have his most crucial decision.

Mikel Arteta to turn to Oleksandr Zinchenko when Arsenal face Porto tonight

Although Jakub Kiwior has done a fine job during Arsenal’s remarkable run of wins, it seems like the perfect night for Zinchenko.

The £30m-defender boasts an attacking skill set which will be needed against Porto’s low block.

Arsenal are expected to spend a lot of time camped around the Porto goal, and although Kiwior has proved his own attacking credentials of late, Zinchenko is an ‘incredible’ asset in such situations.

And that leads us to Mikel Arteta’s final decision – Gabriel Jesus or Leandro Trossard?

Martinelli is missing as stated, and Arteta has credible reasons for starting either Arsenal attacker against Porto tonight.

On this occasion we think the Arsenal boss will choose Trossard, which is intrinsically linked to the Zinchenko decision.

If Arsenal are to start their inverted-master, they will need their left-winger to keep wide, providing that structural discipline.

And if Jesus is chosen to play out wide, he’s going to want to cut in more often than not.

It’s a huge night for The Gunners, and there’s every reason to think they can overturn the first leg deficit.