Gabriel Martinelli decision made as £265k-a-week star drops out: Arsenal predicted XI v Bournemouth

Arsenal will be raring to go on their return to Premier League action following the international break, with a trip to Bournemouth on the cards.

The Gunners went into the October break on the back of four consecutive wins in all competitions, and remain unbeaten this season.

Arsenal, who currently sit third in the Premier League table, are set to take on a Bournemouth side that currently sits 13th in the table.

TBR Football looks at who Mikel Arteta could name in the Gunners starting XI for Saturday’s 5:30pm kick-off at the Vitality Stadium.

Arsenal team news

Arteta said at his pre-match presser that the knock Bukayo Saka suffered on England duty is “not serious” and there’s a good chance he’ll be in action at Bournemouth.

There are some injury doubts for Arsenal, with Arteta saying he was “hoping for some positive news” on injured quartet Kai Havertz, Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Gabriel Martinelli will be assessed after he sustained a calf problem on international duty with Brazil and Martin Odegaard remains out, but Thomas Partey is back in contention following injury.

Neto is unavailable as he is ineligible against his parent club.

READ MORE: Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta makes exciting Raheem Sterling admission

Arsenal predicted XI

Arsenal are expected to go with David Raya in goal, while Tommy Setford is likely to be named on the bench as Bournemouth loanee Neto is ineligible.

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are expected to play at centre-back, while Riccardo Calafiori is likely to go in at left-back.

In terms of the right-back position, we predict that Jurrien Timber, who has had a few weeks off to nurse his muscle injury, will be drafted in from the off.

Mikel Merino could potentially make his first start, but we predict that Leandro Trossard will continue in a free role to cover for Martin Odegaard.

Thomas Partey is fine and so he’ll likely return to midfield, with £105million man Declan Rice a shoo-in to complete the trio.

Kai Havertz should also be fine so he’ll likely lead the line, with Bukayo Saka on the right and Raheem Sterling on the left.

Gabriel Martinelli is seemingly not fully fit at present, so we predict Arteta will not risk him from the off.

Jorginho and £265,000-a-week star Gabriel Jesus would be the ones to drop out of the line-up from the XI that started against Southampton.

Arsenal predicted XI v Bournemouth (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Partey, Trossard, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Sterling