Happy Hallows Eve football fans! The League Cup reconvenes on Halloween with a slate of fourth round clashes that includes Blackpool visiting Arsenal FC. The Gunners just saw their winning streak end at 11 with a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace on Sunday. That’s a shame because had they won the match, they would have been just two victories away from tying the club record for consecutive victories.
Unai Emery will no doubt have plenty of material to work with when it comes to getting his side fired up for this one. Of course, at the same time one should not expect the Spaniard to field his strongest possible side, as the crunch clash with Liverpool in league play approaches this weekend.
Let’s take a look at who Emery will likely not have at his disposal.
Team captain Laurent Koscielny is back in full training after recovering from his Achilles injury but Emery maintains that he won’t rushed back into service. Thus he remains a doubt for this one. Konstantinos Mavropanos, still battling a groin problem, is like Wycleaf Jean “gone till November.”
He should resume training sometime later this week or the next. Meanwhile Nacho Monreal and Sead Kolasinac are still both battling thigh issues. And finally, a fresh fitness concern and it pertains to defender Hector Bellerin, who came off at half-time against Palace due to “muscular pains.”
With the aforementioned Liverpool clash looming large, he’s considered a doubt here.
League Cup: Blackpool at Arsenal FC FYIs
Kickoff/TV: Wednesday, October 31, 7:45 PM local, Emirates Stadium, ESPN2
Arsenal Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Odds via Odds Checker: Blackpool 20/1, Draw 8/1, Arsenal FC 1/9
Prediction: Arsenal FC 3, Blackpool 2
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.