Arsenal will travel to Deepdale to face Preston North End in the round of 16 of the EFL Cup, with Mikel Arteta aiming for a spot in the quarter-finals. Preston are coming off a disappointing 3-3 draw with Plymouth Argyle, where they gave up a three-goal lead, while Arsenal will be looking to continue their cup run amidst their busy fixture schedule.
Preston North End
Preston North End will face a tough challenge, having already overcome Premier League side Fulham in the previous round. Paul Heckingbottom will need his side to bounce back from their collapse against Plymouth and put in a strong performance to stand any chance against Arsenal.
Team News: Preston are dealing with several injury concerns. Robbie Brady is expected to miss the game after twisting his ankle, while Ched Evans, Patrick Bauer, and Will Keane are also sidelined. Milutin Osmajic is suspended due to an eight-match ban, leaving Sam Greenwood to lead the line. Josh Bowler may return from illness but could start on the bench.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2):
Woodman; Hughes, Lindsay, Storey; Kesler-Hayden, Whiteman, Frokjaer-Jensen, Ledson, Potts; Rils, Greenwood
Arsenal
Arsenal come into this game with a few injury concerns of their own. After a 2-2 draw with Liverpool and a narrow 1-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk, Arteta will be looking to rotate his squad while still ensuring progression to the quarter-finals.
Team News: Gabriel Magalhaes picked up a knee injury against Liverpool, and there are doubts over Jurrien Timber’s fitness. Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also out with knee injuries. However, William Saliba is back from suspension, and youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are likely to feature prominently.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3):
Setford; Nichols, Heaven, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Jorginho, Merino; Sterling, Jesus, Martinelli
Key Stats:
- Arsenal and Preston last met in the FA Cup in January 2017, where Arsenal came from behind to win 2-1.
- The only previous League Cup encounter between the two sides saw Arsenal win 2-1 in October 1999.
- Preston are unbeaten in their last five matches in all competitions.
- Arsenal have won 11 consecutive League Cup matches against non-Premier League opposition, with an aggregate score of 38-5 since 2015.
- Arsenal haven’t won the EFL Cup in 31 years but have lost only one game in all competitions this season.
Player to Watch: Ethan Nwaneri
Ethan Nwaneri, a highly promising young talent, has made a significant impression this season. He scored twice in Arsenal’s previous EFL Cup round against Bolton Wanderers, and with Mikel Arteta entrusting him with more responsibilities, he will be eager to continue his rise with another standout performance against Preston.
Preston vs Arsenal Prediction:
Despite Preston’s resilience, Arsenal’s superior squad depth and talent should see them through. Mikel Arteta will likely rotate his squad, but the Gunners have enough firepower to advance to the next round.
Prediction: Preston North End 1-3 Arsenal
How to Watch Preston vs Arsenal
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