football.london reporters pick their Arsenal starting XIs for the FA Cup fifth-round trip to Mansfield Town
Arsenal are gearing up for this weekend’s FA Cup trip to Mansfield Town
Arsenal take a break from the Premier League title race this weekend when they head to Mansfield Town in the FA Cup on the back of three straight top-flight wins.
While the League One side are not to be underestimated, this contest is a chance for Mikel Arteta to shuffle his pack and recharge ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Bayer Leverkusen.
The big games keep on coming for the Gunners and while they’re targeting FA Cup glory, it is now surely time for some of the club’s fringe players to step up and make a big contribution.
Chief Arsenal Reporter Tom Canton and Ryan Taylor have selected their starting XIs for the trip to Field Mill.
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Tom Canton – Chief Arsenal Reporter
All change please! Yes, the cup is coming around, and that means we need to find ways of accommodating plenty of the fringe players while resting the big stars before the trip to Bayer Leverkusen.
The problem is, in the absence of Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino, it limits options, not to mention Ethan Nwaneri having left on loan. I would therefore look to start some of the youngsters here, including Marli Salmon and Max Dowman, who were both with the squad at Brighton.
I have also thrown Marcell Washington, son of Ryan Bertrand, in with Myles Lewis-Skelly suspended following the accumulation of two yellow cards.
Other players coming in include Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus, Riccardo Calafiori and Kai Havertz. The latter might be something of a risk but needs minutes to build fitness and this could be a good opportunity.
Canton’s Arsenal XI vs Mansfield Town: Kepa; Salmon, Mosquera, Calafiori, Washington; Norgaard, Havertz, Dowman; Madueke, Jesus, Martinelli
Max Dowman was on the bench for Arsenal at Brighton but did not get on the pitch(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Ryan Taylor
Arsenal’s squad is so good, it’s possible to still make wholesale changes without disrespecting Mansfield Town.
But it’s clear this will be one of the few matches between now and the end of the season where Arsenal can afford that luxury.
They must still take care of business professionally and the experienced players in the starting XI must take it upon themselves to play their part.
Theoretically, they should all have a point to prove but I’d like to see Marli Salmon and Max Dowman thrown into the mix.
With Martin Odegaard, William Saliba, Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly (suspended) and Mikel Merino all expected to miss the tie, this is the perfect chance to blood in two promising youngsters.
Riccardo Calafiori can slot back in at left-back and Piero Hincapie could potentially partner Cristhian Mosquera at centre-back. Christian Norgaard can lock things down at the base of midfield, too.
Kai Havertz and Dowman as two attacking midfielders would be really exciting, though it would require one of them to play off the left side of central midfield, which might be a tad uncomfortable.
Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli all have points to prove in attack.
Taylor’s Arsenal XI vs Mansfield Town: Kepa; Salmon, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori; Norgaard, Havertz, Dowman; Madueke, Jesus, Martinelli
Welcome to ‘Seeing Red’ – our new Arsenal podcast
We’ve launched a new Arsenal podcast ‘Seeing Red’ with chief football writer John Cross and Arsenal reporter Tom Canton.
Each week, they will dive deep into the biggest topics as they follow Mikel Arteta’s side every step of the way – and will also discuss nostalgic flashbacks before each fixture.
It’s a great time to be an Arsenal fan, with the Gunners flying high under Arteta as they look to win silverware this season.
The North Londoners are going strong in the Premier League and Champions League – and they’re also in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
We’ll provide insight and reaction – and have fun along the way – as Arsenal target the biggest trophies this season.
No stone will be left unturned. VAR controversy? Poor performances? Unsung hero who deserves praise? Fixture chaos? We’ll have it all covered.