Kenya: Probable Arsenal lineup against Man City – Arteta sweats on Xhaka

Mikel Arteta to make late decision on lineup vs Man City as Arsenal sweat on Granit Xhaka

The Swiss midfielder has trained this week but isn’t 100 percent for Arsenal’s trip to the champions as they resume their Premier League campaign

Mikel Arteta is set to make a late decision on his Arsenal line-up ahead of the trip to Manchester City.

Gunners midfielder Granit Xhaka did not start in either warm-up friendly against Charlton or Brentford due to an issue that he has been managing.

But he has trained this week and it will be Arteta’s call on whether the Swiss international is match sharp.

Xhaka, Arsenal’s most experienced head in the centre of midfield, is still expected to start, unless there are any late issues with the former skipper.

On loan Spanish midfielder Dani Ceballos is set to also get the nod in front of the back four, with Mesut Ozil playing slightly further forwards.

It comes as 22-year-old midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles has impressed in training and has also featured in the friendlies with Charlton and Brentford.

Arsenal boss Arteta has a rich crop of youngsters and sees Maitland-Niles as having potential as a midfielder, having been played out of position at full back or wing back previously.

But Maitland-Niles is likely to have talks with Arteta in the next week over his future and role in his squad set-up in the long term.

However, it would seem that Arteta does believe that Maitland-Niles has a future at the club and the England under-21 international must now seize his opportunity.

Arsenal (probable; 4-2-3-1): B Leno; H Bellerín, S Mustafi, D Luiz, K Tierney; D Ceballos, G Xhaka; N Pépé, M Özil, P-E Aubameyang; A Lacazette.