“,”elementId”:”2f932681-adfd-4462-9bec-ede3c362ba39″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Havertz, Trossard.
Subs: Ramsdale, Gabriel Jesus, Martinelli, Nketiah, Kiwior, Tomiyasu, Jorginho, Vieira, Rice.
“,”elementId”:”ebeab2ae-ad73-45ac-983b-6ea19cfa4436″},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Luton: Kaminski, Hashioka, Mengi, Kabore, Townsend, Mpanzu, Barkley, Doughty, Clark, Onyedinma, Morris.
Subs: Shea, Berry, Woodrow, Chong, Krul, Johnson, Nelson, Piesold, Chigozie.
“,”elementId”:”0ef0320a-d068-423e-924b-d6e43e7c6764″}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1712165789000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”13.36 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1712168785000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”: “14.26 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1712166082000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”13.41 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”13.41″,”title”:”Team!”,”Contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Wednesday 3 April 2024 14.33 EDT”,”SecondaryDateLine”:”First published Wednesday 3 April 2024 13.30 EDT”},{“id”:”660aa18c8f08cfe8870d484d”,”elements”:[{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
With the possible exception of Sunday at the Etihad, every game feels must-win at the moment for Arsenal. And this feels like possibly the most winnable game of the season, at home to one of the weakest teams in the division, a struggling side who themselves are woefully out of form.
“,”elementId”:”21e9a85a-9968-4542-81ec-a7358b28d65c”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Equally, this is exactly the sort of game that Arsenal could fumble, just as they did last year. Almost exactly a year ago, Arsenal blew their title chances with three successive draws, twice blowing 2-0 away leads at Liverpool and West Ham, before a 3-3 home draw with a doomed Southampton side ended all hope of catching Manchester City.
“,”elementId”:”07f33f08-7771-41af-b3c0-3d2b18f0ad1f”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
The latter result feels pertinent here. Underestimate Luton, as Arsenal nearly did in the return fixture at Kenilworth Road in which Declan Rice scored an injury-time winner in a 4-3 win, and they have the smarts and the spirit to punish even the best sides.
“,”elementId”:”aaf63f8c-3233-4a6a-a930-836c1c0db8ca”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Luton are on a rotten run of form – without a win since January – but in the intervening 10 matches have only lost by more than one goal on three occasions. They have been in most matches. It would be a surprise if Arsenal didn’t win this, but it would also be surprising if this was a walkover. Let’s see.
“,”elementId”:”2e2c5d15-f9ab-48c8-a7dd-8cc98ed86bbd”},{“_type”:”model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement”,”html”:”
Kick-off: 7.30pm BST.
“,”elementId”:”e807a53a-bfed-4077-9600-24b6f8d517da”}],”attributes”:{“pinned”:false,”keyEvent”:true,”summary”:false},”blockCreatedOn”:1712165425000,”blockCreatedOnDisplay”:”13.30 EDT”,”blockLastUpdated”:1712165304000,”blockLastUpdatedDisplay”: “13.28 EDT”,”blockFirstPublished”:1712165425000,”blockFirstPublishedDisplay”:”13.30 EDT”,”blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone”:”13.30″,”title”:”Preamble”,”contributors”:[],”primaryDateLine”:”Wednesday 3 April 2024 14.33 EDT”,”SecondaryDateLine”:”Initial publication date Wednesday 3 April 2024 13.30 EDT”}],”filterKeyEvents”:false,”id”:”key -events-carousel-mobile “}” config=”{“renderingTarget”:”Web”,”darkModeAvailable”:false}”>
important events
2 minutes: Kasey starts on both sides. Gabriel was lucky to get a free kick in a contest with Morris. It could have easily gone a different route.
Beep beep! Beep beep! Then depart for Emirates Airlines.
Two more Luton players to watch tonight.
Mpanzu begins. For those who don’t know, his story is amazing.
Christian Chigosi, who just turned 16 last month, is also on the bench.
Email from Charles Antaki:
“Emile Smith Rowe! Great news for Arsenal fans who are still looking forward to seeing their academy favorite achieve once again, but it seems like time is clearly running out for this game.” Reece Nelson is a more difficult case to diagnose. Sure he’s playing more often, but that just means he’s visibly overwhelmed more often (at Bournemouth last year). After Sunday’s 0-0 draw against Arsenal, both sides now have a chance to shine against a more attractive opponent. If they don’t, the outside door will creak open just a little.
I’m not convinced either will be sold in the summer, despite the strange FFP laws that seem to encourage the sale of homegrown players. ESR and Nelson are both great team options and seem content with their fate at the moment. The importance of a harmonious team is not lost on Arteta. I predict Partey and maybe Vieira to leave before those two, but guess what?
Something to point out to Arsenal fans Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne are both on the Manchester City bench.
Arteta talks about Saka’s absence tonight.
Arteta: “Bukayo Saka felt something and had to leave the game against City three days ago, but we couldn’t do everything we needed to do to give him a chance to start. Ta.”
“So we decided not to play him,” he told TNT — via @sr_collings. pic.twitter.com/O1uKFlVHOL
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 3, 2024
\n\n”}}” config=”{“renderingTarget”:”Web”,”darkModeAvailable”:false}”>
Arteta: “Bukayo Saka felt something and had to leave the game against City three days ago, but we couldn’t do everything we needed to do to give him a chance to start. Ta.”
“So we decided not to play him,” he told TNT — via @sr_collings. pic.twitter.com/O1uKFlVHOL
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 3, 2024
This isn’t the only Premier League match Of course it will continue tonight. We’ll be announcing the match between Brentford and Brighton (also kicking off at 7:30pm BST). And just for fun, it’s Manchester City vs. Aston Villa, with kick-off at 8:15pm BST. For the latter, see Taha Hashim.
hunky rob edwardsthe Luton manager speaks to the TNT cameras.
It’s hard when you don’t get results. We have unprecedented injuries. However, if you think about it, it is highly reliable. We want to compete tonight. We cannot guarantee results. we are naked. Alfie Doughty is healthy and he’s been an important player for us all season.
Edwards claimed ahead of tonight’s game that the team will be without 13 first-team players due to injury. yeah yeah.
Two players who were supposed to be close Recalled to the England squad for the March friendly were Milan’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was in great form (he scored at the weekend), and Luton’s Ross Barkley, who had been sensational throughout the season. Luton also has a great chant for him, set to Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody.”
There’s no one like Ross Barkley…
1,358 – Reiss Nelson will make his first Premier League start in 1,358 days (3 years, 263 days) since the match against Liverpool in July 2020. Only Mathieu Flamini (5 years, 162 days) and Sol Campbell (3 years, 296 days) have had a longer gap between starts for Arsenal in this competition. break. pic.twitter.com/gLjuItvClz
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 3, 2024
\n\n”}}” config=”{“renderingTarget”:”Web”,”darkModeAvailable”:false}”>
1,358 – Reiss Nelson will make his first Premier League start in 1,358 days (3 years, 263 days) since the match against Liverpool in July 2020. Only Mathieu Flamini (5 years, 162 days) and Sol Campbell (3 years, 296 days) have had a longer gap between starts for Arsenal in this competition. break. pic.twitter.com/gLjuItvClz
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 3, 2024
Life in Luton had a tough start for Daiki Hashioka., joined from Belgian side Sint-Truiden in January. Japan have lost all but one of their previous five games against the Hatters, with right-back likely to have to play Leandro Trossard tonight, with Gabriel Martinelli on the bench. Here’s what he had to say before tonight’s game:
“Before I came here I knew the level of the Premier League was very high and I’m enjoying every minute of it.”We have a lot of injuries, but if we win against Arsenal it will give us a big boost for the next game against Bournemouth. So I want to go into it with confidence.”
At this stage of the season, the games are intense and fast-paced.. City was Sunday. Luton today. Brighton on Saturday. Bayern next Tuesday. This feels like the perfect game to give Saka and Rice a break. Gunners fans will hope the team’s rotation doesn’t sting Arteta in the butt.
Meanwhile, in Türkiye… Hey Gunner yaaaaaaaaaaa.
💪 Mesut Ozil in the gym 😳 pic.twitter.com/KccoN5RvIu
— DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) April 3, 2024
\n\n”}}” config=”{“renderingTarget”:”Web”,”darkModeAvailable”:false}”/>
Dear team!
Food on the bench! There is no Saka on the team! Smith Rowe makes his first start since January! Party player makes his first starting appearance since August! Nelson makes his first start in the league this season! Now!
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Havertz, Trossard.
sub: Ramsdale, Gabriel Jesus, Martinelli, Nketiah, Kivior, Tomiyasu, Jorginho, Vieira, Rais.
Luton: Kaminski, Hashioka, Mengi, Kabore, Townsend, Mpanzu, Barclay, Doughty, Clark, Onyedinma, Morris.
sub: Shea, Berry, Woodrow, Chong, Krull, Johnson, Nelson, Piesold, Chigosy.
preamble
I feel like every game is a must-win for Arsenal at the moment, apart from Sunday at the Etihad. And this game feels like perhaps the most winnable game of the season, at the home of one of the weakest teams in the division, a struggling team that has itself been seriously down.
Equally, this is exactly the kind of game where Arsenal could fail just like they did last year. Almost exactly a year ago, Arsenal twice overcame 2-0 leads away to Liverpool and West Ham, squandered their title chances by drawing three games in a row, and drew 3-3 at home to underdog Southampton. Any hope of beating Manchester City was gone.
The latter result seems appropriate here. Luton should not be underestimated, as they were when Arsenal won 4-3 in their return match at Kenilworth Road, with Declan Rice scoring the winning goal in stoppage time. They have the smarts and mentality to punish even the best teams.
Luton have not won since January and have been in poor form, having only lost by more than one point three times in 10 games during that period. They play in most games. It would be surprising if Arsenal didn’t win this one, but I’d also be surprised if it was a bye. Let’s take a look.
Kick-off: 7:30pm (BST).
