Arsenal will be looking to get back to winning ways when they travel to Turf Moor for this afternoon’s Premier League clash against Sean Dyche’s Burnley. The Gunners have only picked up all three points on six occasions this season and have not secured a top-flight victory since they beat Manchester United 2-0 at the Emirates on January 1.
Arsenal’s past three league games have ended in draws against Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and Chelsea respectively, but Mikel Arteta can at least call upon Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this time around.
Aubameyang is set to return from a three-match suspension against Burnley, while David Luiz is available again too having been sent off in last month’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea.
Discussing the duo on Friday, Arteta said: “Yeah we missed them. It’s good to have top players back in the squad. They’ve been training well so we have more bodies available.”
Aubameyang and Luiz are expected to start for Arsenal, but Arteta will be without Shkodran Mustafi due to injury.
The Arsenal boss has confirmed, however, that initial fears over a potentially lengthy lay-off have been eased.
“It’s not as bad as we thought,” Arteta said. “He’s been having treatment, he’s been doing a little bit of treatment, and we’re feeling positive about him.”
The trip to Burnley comes too soon for Cedric Soares to make his debut, with Arteta having conceded to the January loan signing being a fitness doubt.
Arteta said: “They were assessing him yesterday and we will have more results today, but he’s got a little issue. I don’t think he will be available to play [on Sunday].”
Pablo Mari is also likely to have to wait to make his Arsenal debut, having not played a competitive match since December’s Club World Cup final against Liverpool.
That means Sokratis Papastathopoulos is expected to partner Luiz at centre-back, with Hector Bellerin at right-back and Bukayo Sako on the left flank.
Bernd Leno will return in goal after Emiliano Martinez played against Bournemouth in the FA Cup, while it is anticipated Lucas Torreira will line up alongside Granit Xhaka in midfield.
Aubameyang will probably feature on the left wing, with Nicolas Pepe hoping to wreak havoc on the opposite side and Mesut Ozil slotting in at No 10.
Alexandre Lacazette will lead the line for Arsenal, having made way for youngster Eddie Nketiah for last weekend’s 2-1 win at Bournemouth.
Arsenal predicted line up vs Burnley – Premier League
(4-2-2-1): Leno; Bellerin, Sokratis, Luiz, Saka; Torreira, Xhaka; Pepe, Ozil, Aubameyang; Lacazette