The Carabao Cup has taken on additional significance this season for Arsenal since our club in not playing in any European competition. Thusfar, Mike Arteta has played very strong starting XI’s in the last few rounds of the Cup, and now find himself in a two-leg semifinal contest with Liverpool.
With that said, I think Arteta will field another strong XI on Thursday, then will heavily rotate his squad for the FA Cup’s Nottingham Forest match next week.
Here’s my projected starting XI v Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool on Thursday…
[4-4-1-1]
Nketiah (if healthy, if not he will start Lacazette)
Odegaard
Smith Rowe, Xhaka, Lokonga, Maitland-Niles
Tavares, Holding, White, Tomiyasu
Leno
Predicted final score: ARSENAL 2 – Liverpool 1
COYG!
Gunner1953









Mikel Arteta said on Friday Bukayo Saka, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber are all in contention to be in the squad for Saturday’s match.
According to Graeme Bailey of TEAMtalk, Arsenal has intensified their interest in Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams as a top summer priority.
Fabrizio Romano is reporting Calum McFarlane will be the Chelsea interim manager until the end of this season.
Arsenal Women have confirmed Manu Zinsberger will leave the club at the end of this season. The Austrian goalkeeper has totaled 51 cleans sheets in 143 appearances for the Gunners.



Stat of the Day: David Rays has made 53 saves and had 15 cleans sheets in 33 appearances this season for Arsenal.
American movie star Anne Hathaway on the Gunners title chances, “They better. I believe in Arsenal.”
Gabriel Magalhaes, “We need to be strong on Sunday, We are at this club to play these kind of games.”

Ten Premier League managers have been sacked this season, including three at Nottingham Forest, and two each at Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.






Liverpool are playing mind games as many big clubs do, they say they interested in buying Saka, this will make Saka and the gunners even more motivated to thump them.
Now Liverpool are trying to get the game postponed. I believe the request will be turned down. Just because some of their players are off to Afcon is not a valid reason , the premier league have precedent that a couple of covid players will not cause games to be postponed.
Liverpool are scared.