Arsenal Predicted XI before hosting Brentford at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, in a pivotal Premier League encounter. Mikel Arteta‘s squad faces a familiar battle against the injury bug.
Latest Injury Updates
Arsenal’s backline has been a revolving door this season. Central defender Gabriel Magalhães remains sidelined with a hamstring strain picked up in late October. His absence forces Jakub Kiwior into the starting role alongside William Saliba.
But the Frenchman’s status is precarious after suffering a knock during training on Monday. Initial assessments suggest bruising rather than ligament damage, but further tests on Tuesday will determine if he can feature.
Kai Havertz is a late call after tweaking his knee in the Bayern clash. The German forward trained lightly on Monday but sat out full sessions, with optimism growing for a bench appearance. Similarly, Leandro Trossard faces a fitness test for a recurring muscle issue in his calf, which flared up post-substitution against Liverpool.
Longer-term absentees include Jurrien Timber, still recovering from an ACL rupture sustained in August, with a projected return in January 2026.
Key Returns and Squad Boosts
Martin Ødegaard is fully fit after a minor ankle tweak and is set to captain the side. Gabriel Martinelli also returns from a hamstring niggle. His explosive pace a welcome addition on the left flank after two weeks out. Viktor Gyökeres adds firepower up top, having shaken off a minor flu bug that ruled him out last week. With Declan Rice and Thomas Partey both fit, Arsenal’s midfield is very strong. Myles Lewis-Skelly, the academy product and left-back, is making his way up the ranks.
Balanced Attack with Defensive Caution (4-3-3)
Arteta’s preference for fluidity sees a 4-3-3 formation, prioritizing control in midfield while unleashing pace on the wings. With Saliba doubtful, we anticipate a makeshift center-back pairing, here’s Arsenal predicted XI:
GK: David Raya – RB: Ben White – CB: William Saliba – CB: Jakub Kiwior – LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly – CM: Declan Rice – CM: Thomas Partey – CM: Martin Ødegaard – RW: Noni Madueke – ST: Viktor Gyökeres – LW: Gabriel Martinelli
The combination of experienced and inexperienced players in this squad is well-balanced and designed to take advantage of Brentford’s fragile away form. Mikel Arteta will reveal details about adjustments he made to his team during his Wednesday press conference, however, the gunners have the motivation to earn a narrow victory of 2-1 over Brentford and continue their title challenge.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
