Mikel Arteta’s young side featured four teenagers, including 16-year-old goalkeeper Jack Porter, who became Arsenal’s youngest-ever starter. While Porter missed out on a clean sheet, the academy’s rising stars shined, with Ethan Nwaneri scoring twice, and Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz, and Declan Rice also finding the net. Arsenal’s reward is a fourth-round tie against Preston North End.
Returning to Premier League action, Arsenal will aim to bounce back from their dramatic draw against Manchester City, where a late John Stones equalizer in the 98th minute denied them a first away win over City since 2015.
Despite Leandro Trossard's red card forcing Arteta to adopt a defensive approach, rival fans criticized the tactic. The Gunners still sit fourth in the league, just two points behind City, with a 70% win rate in 2024, matching their best in a single year since 1932.
Arsenal’s home form against newly-promoted teams is impressive, with a 39-game unbeaten run at the Emirates in the Premier League against such opposition, dating back to a 2010 loss to Newcastle.
While Arsenal scored freely against Bolton, Leicester struggled against a resilient Walsall defense, needing penalties to secure their win after a goalless draw. Danny Ward was the hero, saving three spot-kicks to see Leicester through to the next round, where they’ll face Manchester United.
However, Leicester’s hard-fought victory won’t boost much confidence as they remain winless in the Premier League. A 1-1 draw with Everton last weekend in awful conditions left them still searching for their first league win of the season. They currently sit 15th, and only in their 2022-23 relegation campaign have they failed to win in their first six Premier League games.
As for Arsenal, they are chasing a sixth consecutive league win over Leicester, having beaten the Foxes in their last five meetings since a shock 1-0 defeat at the Emirates during their tough 2020 season.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Since Leandro Trossard’s suspension covered all competitions, the Belgian is available again for Arteta after missing the Bolton game, where backup goalkeeper Neto was also sidelined due to being cup-tied.Neto, on loan from Bournemouth, could now make his Arsenal debut, especially with David Raya still doubtful after picking up a muscle injury at the Etihad. Jurrien Timber’s status is also uncertain after missing the midweek match with a knock, while Myles Lewis-Skelly, who took a hit on Wednesday, was expected to be rested regardless.
Arsenal's injury list remains lengthy, with Martin Odegaard (ankle), Mikel Merino (shoulder), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Kieran Tierney (hamstring), and Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) all sidelined. Despite the upcoming Champions League clash with PSG, Arteta is likely to field his strongest lineup.
Leicester, on the other hand, are in better shape injury-wise, with only Patson Daka, Jannik Vestergaard, and Jakub Stolarczyk nursing ankle injuries.
Manager Steve Cooper is likely to make some changes, with Danny Ward’s heroics against Walsall not enough to keep him in goal ahead of Mads Hermansen. Jamie Vardy is also expected to return to lead the attack. Vardy, known for his knack of scoring against the Premier League’s big teams, has netted 11 times in 16 appearances against Arsenal—his second-favorite opponent after Watford.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Arsenal possible starting lineup:Neto; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Havertz, Rice, Partey; Saka, Jesus, Trossard
Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Hermansen; Justin, Faes, Okoli, Kristiansen; Skipp, Winks; Ayew, Ndidi, Mavididi; Vardy
EXPERT PREDICTION
Arsenal 2-0 Leicester
With several key Arsenal players either fully rested or only playing briefly in midweek, the Gunners should be well-prepared and face few challenges on Saturday as they gear up for their upcoming clash with PSG.
