Photo credit: Getty Images/ Justin Setterfield

By Paul Stevens

Arsenal return to Premier League action in the final game before the November International break.

Mikel Arteta’s side hosts 11th-placed Hull in Saturday’s 3 pm kickoff at the Emirates Stadium. While I do not expect him to start, Arsenal were boosted by the return of William Saliba, who has returned from his back injury ahead of schedule.

The Frenchman took his place on the bench against Slavia and has already played in a ‘behind closed doors’ friendly. Saliba’s return will be a perfectly timed boost for the team as it enters the busiest time of the season.

Arsenal’s opponents Hull, have made an impressive start to the season. The Tigers have won only two of their first nine, against fellow newcomers Coventry and in a shock home win on opening day against Manchester United.

It is the impressive five draws, however, that have propelled Hull up the Premier League table. Chelsea, Newcastle, Villa, Everton, and Brentford have all dropped points to the Premier League new boys.

Hull boast the 7th best defensive record in the entire division and have scored ten goals in nine played, conceding just eleven in return. The side have had numerous goal scorers as well, rather than being reliant on one or two key players.

Hull have only lost two games in the League, a narrow 1-0 loss away at Fulham and a tight 2-1 away at St James’s Park versus Newcastle.

Mikel Arteta will face three selection headaches in my view.

The first is who to start at right back. Ben White is the more recognised attacking player but played 78 minutes away to Slavia Prague on Wednesday night so I expect Jurien Timber to start against Hull.

Then in the left eight position, it is a choice between Bruno Guimaraes or Myles Lewis-Skelly. Neither player even got off the bench against Slavia so both will be fresh. Could Arteta start a wild-card-style line-up featuring a partnership with Guimaraes and Lewis-Skelly?

Resting Rice in this match would be a big decision, but Mikel Arteta is going to need to find a way to play without Rice at some point, is Hull at home the opportunity?

Finally, the third conundrum is who to start at centre forward. Kai Havertz scored the winner at Anfield and is Arteta’s big game player, but equally, Viktor Gyokeres scored and assisted in the Slavia win.

Treatment Table

Things are looking particularly good for Arsenal. Not only are the Gunners top of the table, but only Bukayo Saka is out with a long-term injury.

While William Saliba is back in first-team training, I expect him to be slowly brought back into the first eleven.

Max Dowman will be unavailable while the youngster continues to serve a three-match ban from the red card picked up in the Fleetwood loss.

The only other doubt is Ezri Konsa who was taken off against Slavia with a suspected knee issue.

For Hull, the visitors to the Emirates have a significant list of players likely to miss the Arsenal match.

Matt Targett is out until mid-December with an ankle issue.

Matt Crooks is unavailable due to picking up five yellow cards, so he will be suspended.

Charlie Hughes has been training with the under-21s after recovering from a reported pelvic/hip issue.

Ilyas Ansah is recovering from a lower back injury and is a doubt.

Lucas Gourna-Douath will likely miss the match with a calf issue.

Eliot Matazo will miss the match after going for surgery on a cruciate ligament tear.

There are minor doubts over striker Ollie McBurnie, who has been struggling with a broken finger and a rib issue.

Finally, goalkeeper Jack Butland has been out with a long-term arm injury but is thought to be close to a return.

Player Focus

My player focus targets a specific position on the pitch, assuming it is Bruno Guimaraes who occupies the left eight role.

With Christos Tzolis now back in the side, I feel Arsenal have an opportunity to create a fully functioning left-sided unit and one that rivals the right. Guimaraes’ role in this area of the pitch will be key.

Defensively, Guimaraes will need to continue his understanding of the rotational positions of the fluid Calafiori and the unpredictable Tzolis.

Choosing when to move into more advanced positions and when to drop back to cover Calafiori especially will be interesting.

Equally as intriguing will be the attacking areas the Brazilian can occupy on the left side. We have already seen Guimaraes score two spectacular strikes from outside the box this season.

His memorable finish against Sunderland that opened the scoring was the first look at what the player can offer Arsenal. Then came his clinically dispatched winner versus Leeds.

Bruno Guimaraes offers something to Arteta’s Arsenal that the team has been missing for some time. A player not afraid to shoot from range. In the tightest of games, against stubborn low or mid-blocks this can be a vital attribute.

The future of Arsenal’s midfield is undoubtedly Myles Lewis-Skelly. The youngster will play plenty of first-team football this season due to his calming, controlling abilities in the centre of the pitch.

Due to the strength of the club’s recruitment in recent seasons, Lewis-Skelly has the opportunity to learn from Declan Rice on the defensive side of his game and Bruno Guimaraes will undoubtedly shape his offensive performances in the future.

Predicted Line-Up

Mikel Arteta will want to go into the international break with another win and Arsenal remaining on top of the Premier League table.

This is a game that Arsenal should win and win comfortably, however, Hull will be a resolute and well-organised side to break down.

My line-up for the match will reflect the task ahead of Arsenal. If the game state allows, Declan Rice for one, will need to be rested as soon as possible with either Myles Lewis-Skelly or Martin Zubimendi taking his place.

Goalkeeper – David Raya.

Left back – Riccardo Calafiori.

Left centre back – Gabriel Magalhaes.

Right centre back – Ezri Konsa.

Right back – Jurien Timber.

Number six – Declan Rice.

Left eight – Bruno Guimaraes.

Right eight – Martin Odegaard.

Left wing – Christos Tzolis.

Right wing – Noni Madueke.

Striker – Kai Havertz.