Arsenal will look to end their season on a high this Championship Sunday when they face Everton. It’s not just about sending the Gunner faithful home feeling good. A victory here has a slight chance of securing Mikel Arteta’s men the final Champions League qualification place. The Gunners have to win and rely on Spurs to do something…. well…. Spursy in order to claim fourth place on the last day of the season.
Arsenal will have to be careful, though. With safety secured, Everton has nothing to lose in this game. They certainly have plenty to gain. A lot of the Everton players will play for their careers on the blue half of Merseyside.
These two sides have played each other on the decisive day of the season twice already this millennium.
Those clashes came on the ultimate day of the 2001/02 season, and then again as the curtain fell on the 2016/17 season.
The Gunners won both matches 4-3 & 2-1, respectively.
Arsenal vs Everton FYIs
When is it? Sunday, May 22nd, 2022 4 PM UK Time.
Where is it? Emirates Stadium, London.
What is the Arsenal Team News? Go here
Who’s in form? Arsenal (WWWLL) Everton (WWDLW)
What are the odds? Arsenal (-260) Everton (+700) Draw (+400)
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Starting XI Prediction
Here’s how I see Mikel Arteta lining his side up on Championship Sunday.
Aaron Ramsdale will keep goals. If he isn’t the signing of the season, he is definitely in my top five. The Englishman has been remarkable for Arsenal and looks to have found a permanent home between the posts for the Gunners.
The back four will be anything but first choice. But that’s no different from recent weeks. One good thing is Gabriel and Ben White will resume their burgeoning center-back partnership. The part that might concern Arsenal fans is having Cedric Soares at right-back and Nuno Tavares at left-back.
Arsenal will do well to not have to rely on these two as often next season.
Midfield is much of the same with Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny shoring things up from defensive midfield. This is another pairing Mikel Arteta would likely be glad to not have to rely on next season. Martin Odegaard continues as the most attacking of the center midfielders.
The attack picks itself. There is no room for sentiment, so that means Eddie Nketiah starts ahead of Alexandre Lacazette once again. Nketiah will be the focal point of the forward line. Bukayo Saka will play to his right and Gab Martinelli starts on the left-wing.
Stuey Predicts
Arsenal needs a result if they are to put any type of pressure on Tottenham for fourth place. I am sorry Gunners fans. They have proven in the last fortnight that when the pressure is on, they can’t handle it. That’s why I am sitting on the fence and predicting a 1-1 draw to close out a season of improvement from the red half of north London.
Stuart Kavanagh is a sports journalist from Melbourne, Australia. Along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, he is the co-host of the ‘After Extra Time’ podcast. Football mad, he is always down for debate and discussion at @stueyissickofit on Twitter.