Mona Flynn
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Meanwhile, Luton Town faced disappointment by losing to Tottenham Hotspur despite initially leading the match.
Arsenal aimed to avoid a heavy defeat at the hands of Manchester City, especially after Liverpool's victory over Brighton & Hove Albion had put pressure on both teams.
Despite spending much of the game defending, Arsenal's defense, led by William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, stood strong, ensuring a goalless draw. Although Arsenal had opportunities to snatch a win, a draw against Manchester City was still considered a positive result.
Sitting just one point behind Liverpool in second place, Arsenal has the opportunity to overtake them temporarily by maintaining their impressive record against newly-promoted teams.
They have won all five league games against such teams this season and have remained unbeaten in 38 Premier League matches against newly-promoted teams at the Emirates Stadium since 2008.
However, Luton Town has shown resilience, giving both Arsenal and Tottenham tough matches recently. Despite leading against Tottenham, they conceded late goals, highlighting their struggles to maintain leads. Currently, Luton Town is without a win in their last 10 matches, and their defensive frailties have contributed to their position just above the relegation zone.
As Luton Town visits the Emirates Stadium, they are aware of their defensive vulnerabilities, having failed to keep a clean sheet away from home this season. Their previous encounter with Arsenal also ended in disappointment with a late goal sealing victory for the Gunners.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
All three of Arsenal's previously doubtful players - Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Magalhaes - were able to take the field against Manchester City. However, Saka seemed to struggle and was substituted late in the game due to fatigue.With these players overcoming their minor issues, the only absentee for Arsenal this week is Jurrien Timber, who is recovering from an ACL injury but is expected to return before the end of the season. This gives Arteta the flexibility to make changes with a nearly full squad at his disposal.
Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are not typically right-sided players, but they are likely contenders to fill in for the tired Saka on Wednesday. Alternatively, Fabio Vieira could also be considered. Additionally, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and the recovering Thomas Partey are potential starters.
On the other hand, Luton Town is facing significant injury issues, with on-loan Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga ineligible to play against his parent club. They have a long list of injured players, including Tom Lockyer, Amari'i Bell, Marvelous Nakamba, Elijah Adebayo, Dan Potts, Mads Andersen, Chiedozie Ogbene, Jacob Brown, Gabriel Osho, Reece Burke, Alfie Doughty, and Tahith Chong, all of whom sustained injuries in the match against Tottenham.
As Luton Town awaits updates on the condition of their injured players, Daiki Hashioka, Cauley Woodrow, and Jordan Clark are on standby if needed. Fred Onyedinma could also be considered for his first start of the season in the Premier League.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Arsenal possible starting lineup:Raya; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard
Luton Town possible starting lineup:
Kaminski; Kabore, Hashioka, Mengi, Johnson; Mpanzu, Barkley, Clark; Townsend, Morris, Woodrow
EXPERT PREDICTION
Arsenal 3-1 Luton
However, against the formidable attack and defense of the Premier League's top team, Arsenal, Luton's impressive scoring streak is likely to be halted. The Gunners are expected to dominate against their injury-plagued opponents and claim victory, potentially propelling them to the top of the table.
