Arsenal take on Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium in their first Premier League match of the new year. Mikel Arteta knows this is no simple challenge with the Bees’ home form very impressive indeed and having taken plenty of scalps off the big sides.
He will also continue to navigate his team selection without Bukayo Saka in the squad as his recovery from a hamstring surgery begins. Defensively, the side was sublime in 2024, but he needs to unlock another level in terms of goalscoring.
Arteta needs to find a way of integrating some of his forwards who have been overshadowed in the absence of Saka.
David Raya is naturally the obvious choice in goal. Whether a January arrival will see any competition come in remains to be seen, with on-loan stopper Neto perhaps waiting for the FA Cup before finally getting some minutes.
Myles Lewis-Skelly has been a great breakout player this year, but Riccardo Calafiori needs to come back into the side and get some valuable minutes. The Italian was an unused substitute against Ipswich and so is fully rested to take on Brentford and try to help lock down Bryan Mbeumo.
Jurrien Timber, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are going to be expected to play plenty of minutes through the next five months. Whether defensive additions are made and whether Ben White’s return is closing in remains to be seen.
