Predicted Arsenal XI tonight: £325,000-a-week player and youngster with ‘tremendous ability’ starts | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will return to action on Wednesday evening when they take on Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Arsenal have been doing well lately and will be keen on maintaining their momentum and their chances of winning a major trophy this season.

The Gunners are in the hunt for the Premier League title and are also very much in with a chance of lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy.

Arsenal played out a goalless draw with Everton at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League this past weekend and will be determined to beat London rivals Palace at home on Wednesday and progress to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.

How Arsenal could line up vs Crystal Palace

With Neto cup-tied, David Raya will be in goal for Arsenal against Premier League rivals Palace in the Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal manager Arteta is likely to keep Jurrien Timber at right-back. With Oleksandr Zinchenko and Riccardo Calafiori out injured, Myles Lewis-Skelly will be deployed at left-back and will start his third game in a row. William Saliba and Gabriel are likely to be the two centre-backs.

Arteta is unlikely to use Declan Rice in the starting line-up even if he recovers from his injury. Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino and Jorginho are likely to be the three midfielders.

Nwaneri has broken into the Arsenal team this season, with Arteta saying that the 17-year-old midfielder “has a tremendous ability to put the ball in the back of the net” in The London Evening Standard this week. The teenager has scored four goals this season, including three in the Carabao Cup.

Bukayo Saka is on fire at the moment, and Arteta is very likely to keep him in the team to guarantee goals. The England international winger has scored nine goals and given 12 assists in 22 matches in all competitions for Arsenal this season.

Raheem Sterling started in Arsenal’s last two Carabao Cup ties and could be given the nod again against Palace. The Chelsea-owned £325,000-a-week (Spotrac) winger will be on the left flank. Gabriel Jesus is likely to start for Arsenal as the centre-forward.

Predicted Arsenal XI vs Crystal Palace

Predicted Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Jorginho, Merino; Saka, Jesus, Sterling