In the final match of 3rd round weekend, we host high-flying Championship side Leeds United at Arsenal on Monday night.
Mikel Arteta has instilled a new found confidence around The Emirates and expectations are high ahead of this game, and the excitement seems to be back at Arsenal after a tough few weeks.
Arteta said on the Sporting Life website:
“I think winning brings togetherness and when you have beautiful experiences together and you win trophies, those experiences stay within that group. You like more the people you work with and you believe more in them and share some fantastic moments and that stays…”
Arteta himself won the FA Cup with Arsenal and would be looking at this competition as a very real possibility to open his silverware account at his new club, while Leeds will be looking to get promotion back to the Premier League as priority.
Anyone remember the last time we played Leeds at home in the cup?
It’s thought that Leeds will play a full strength side as they no doubt smell an upset, while Arteta will most likely field a cup squad and rotate his players after a good win against Manchester United in the league last time out.
Leno will probably make way for Martinez, while Aubameyang, Ozil and a host of other first team players will probably start from the bench as Arteta looks to continue his positive start to his Arsenal management career.
ArsenalShorts prediction: A strong line up will be too much for a very good Leeds side, Leeds to go 1-0 up in front of a very noisy away end, but we’ll be ok and run out 2-1 winners.