adminLONDON — Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be left out of Arsenal’s starting line-up for tonight’s Champions League soccer tie against Bayern Munich despite his match-winning show against Liverpool.
Manager Arsene Wenger is set to choose between Tomas Rosicky and Oxlade-Chamberlain for a spot even though the 20-year-old’s displays since returning from a serious knee injury have been very impressive.
Oxlade-Chamberlain scored in the 2-1 FA Cup win over Liverpool on Sunday and has done enough for a recall into the England set-up from Roy Hodgson for next month’s friendly against Denmark. Wenger’s midfield selection is likely to hold the key against Pep Guardiola’s men. Mathieu Flamini will occupy the holding role in the absence of vice-captain Mikel Arteta who is suspended following his red card in the Gunners’ final group game in Napoli. Jack Wilshere is set to fill one of the other slots and Santi Cazorla should return in place of Lukas Podolski after starting the Liverpool clash on the bench. Mesut Ozil will occupy the opposite flank.
That leaves one slot in midfield between Rosicky and Oxlade-Chamberlain and the Czech Republic man is Wenger’s big-game pick due to his poise and temperament.
The way Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Javi Martinez bossed the midfield in Bayern’s 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium last season has not been forgotten by Wenger. But of Arsenal’s last five goals, Oxlade- Chamberlain has scored three, assisted one and won a penalty for the other.
Some of the changes to Arsenal’s line-up are expected: Wojciech Szczesny for Lukasz Fabianski, Bacary Sagna for Carl Jenkinson, Kieran Gibbs for Nacho Monreal and Olivier Giroud for Yaya Sanogo. But Arsenal’s 2-0 win at the Allianz Arena last season should mean they go into tonight’s clash with more self-belief than most teams playing the reigning European champions.
“I think we know them better than we did last year,” said Wenger.— Mailonline.
Online Reporter