Predicted Arsenal XI to face Southampton on Saturday

Fear not Gooners; there is only two days left to wait until Premier League action returns with the international break having been particularly uninspiring to bear.

With Arsenal fans looking forward to the first Saturday 3pm kick off of the season at Emirates Stadium, there is an air of anticipation with Arsene Wenger having finally recruited Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez since a ball was last kicked.

A lot of the attention will centre upon whether Arsenal’s new boys start the game against Southampton at the weekend and in many ways, Shkodran Mustafi has more of a chance on paper.

With Arsenal having suffered injuries to Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista in pre-season, Mustafi’s arrival was imperative but it remains to be seen whether Arsene Wenger will throw him into the action straight away.

We mustn’t forget that somebody standing in for the interim period has done particularly well in the shape and form of Rob Holding who hasn’t looked fazed in games against Leicester City and Watford lately.

With Arsene Wenger needing to make a series of key decisions heading into this fixture with Southampton who took four points off the Gunners last season, Arsenal Mania today try and predict the Frenchman’s starting eleven for Saturday’s match-up.

Petr Cech

The easiest selection of them all between the sticks with Petr Cech by far and away the undisputed number one at Emirates Stadium.

Again it would appear that David Ospina will have to make the most of every opportunity he gets in the cup competitions with EFL Cup and Champions League fixtures on the horizon.

Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal

Arsenal fans were delighted with the signing of Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi because when at full strength, the Gunners look like they boast one of the strongest back four’s in the Premier League.

Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal are consistent performers in the full back positions while Laurent Koscielny has been simply collosal since arriving in the team after the extended leave he received while missing the Liverpool opener.

But it’s the other centre back position which looks up for grabs but we feel that Arsene Wenger will persist with the young Rob Holding for the time being.

Wenger is somebody that has always put his trust in youth and with Holding not letting anybody down over the past two weeks, we feel he’ll get the nod with Mustafi still having plenty of time to acclimatise having represented Germany in the recent international break.

Santi Cazorla, Granit Xhaka

Arsenal are blessed with plenty of top class combinations who can play in central midfield this season but one man who won’t be competing is Jack Wilshere who competed his shock Deadline Day switch to AFC Bournemouth.

Even with Wilshere having left, Arsenal are still particularly strong in central midfield and having combined to great effect at Vicarage Road last time out, we feel Arsene Wenger will opt for a combo of Santi Cazorla and Granit Xhaka again.

Arsenal fans saw the best of Xhaka away at Watford with the Swiss international pinging the ball from deep much like Xabi Alonso at his peak.

Having been sent off with Switzerland during the international break, Xhaka will be eager to put that performance behind him and as for Cazorla, every Gooner knows what he can do in full flight.

Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil, Lucas Perez

Another dilemma in the attacking midfield positions for Arsene Wenger with a lot of the talk surrounding Alexis Sanchez right now.

While the Chilean is an absolutely tireless competitor who enjoys playing as many games as he can for club and country, Alexis played both games for his national side during the international break and is back in London far later than several of his Arsenal team-mates given the travelling distance.

With this in mind and other players available, we think Sanchez might be on the bench with Arsene Wenger perhaps trialling Spanish new boy Lucaz Perez on the left wing.

Brought in primarily as a striker to rival Olivier Giroud of course, Lucas played much of his PAOK career from the left flank and he’s perfectly capable of putting a shift in there.

The other two positions pick themselves for us at the moment with Theo Walcott having performed well at Watford while Mesut Ozil is always in Arsenal’s strongest team having finished off a superb move at Vicarage Road last time out.

Olivier Giroud

That leaves the single striking berth up front and with Olivier Giroud having proved his fitness in starting both of France’s games during the international break, he is now ready to go from the off.

Alexis Sanchez has started all three of Arsenal’s Premier League games up top for Arsene Wenger thus far but with Giroud now deemed fit enough to start, expect the French international to lead the Gunners’ line.