Fresh from a successful Champions League sojourn in Seville, Arsenal return to Premier League duty with the visit of basement boys Sheffield United to the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.
Mikel Arteta's troops bested Sevilla 2-1 in their most recent European affair, while the Blades lost by the same scoreline when they tackled Manchester United in the top flight last weekend.
Match preview
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A few days on from recovering from a 2-0 deficit to unexpectedly hold Chelsea to a 2-2 draw, Arsenal oh so nearly experienced a taste of their own comeback medicine at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, where three Brazilian stars shone bright in the Seville sky towards the end of the first half.
Gabriel Magalhaes's interception, Gabriel Jesus's sumptuous turn and pass and Gabriel Martinelli's composed finish saw Arsenal break the deadlock just before the whistle blew, and a pinpoint strike from Jesus early in the second half would seal the striker's man of the match award with half an hour remaining.
However, a few travelling fans may have watched the final exchanges through their fingers, as Nemanja Gudelj's bullet header cut the arrears in half before David Raya misjudged the flight of an injury-time cross, but thankfully for the under-fire Spaniard, his fluffed punch landed harmlessly on top of the net.
Now in control of their Champions League section, Arsenal enter gameweek 10 of the Premier League season in the bronze medal position, having missed the chance to keep Manchester City at bay and go level on points with Tottenham owing to an appalling first-half display at Stamford Bridge.
Nevertheless, by virtue of yet another second-half fightback, Arsenal remain unbeaten in the current top-flight campaign - only Tottenham can also boast that achievement - and are yet to draw a blank in front of goal this season; statistics which make for unpleasant reading for Paul Heckingbottom's beleaguered charges.
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On the back of a welcome two-week reset during the international hiatus, Sheffield United gave a tremendous account of themselves during the visit of an off-colour Manchester United to Bramall Lane last weekend, which came as the Red Devils mourned the loss of the legendary Sir Bobby Charlton.
Erik ten Hag's men did manage to draw first blood through a tame Scott McTominay volley, and while an unstoppable Oli McBurnie spot kick drew the Blades level, a Diogo Dalot spectacular ultimately saw the 20-time English champions head home with three points in the bag.
While there were some positive signs for Heckingbottom to reflect on, the grim reality of Sheffield United's predicament remains the same, as the Blades remain rooted to the foot of the division with no wins and a solitary draw to show for their endeavours so far.
Each of the visitors' last five Premier League matches has ended in defeat, during which time Heckingbottom's side have conceded at least two goals in every game while only notching a total of three at the correct end of the pitch, and they are the only side in the division without a point away from home so far this term.
It should come as no surprise to learn that Arsenal did the double over Sheffield United by an aggregate scoreline of 5-1 in the 2020-21 season, and it has been 53 years since the Blades last defeated the Gunners in the English capital, claiming a shock 1-0 Highbury win over Bertie Mee's double winners in 1971.
Team News
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Delight soon turned into despair for Arsenal striker Jesus on Tuesday evening, as the Brazil international appeared to tweak his hamstring in the dying embers of their win over Sevilla and gingerly trudged off the field, leading to an admission of worry from Arteta.
Jesus himself is hopeful that he has not sustained a serious issue, but Eddie Nketiah is waiting in the wings, while long-term ACL victim Jurrien Timber has been joined in the infirmary by Thomas Partey, who suffered yet another muscular concern prior to their most recent Champions League clash.
Despite an inspired performance on the left-hand side of defence, Takehiro Tomiyasu should make way for the returning Oleksandr Zinchenko, while Aaron Ramsdale was back in the squad in midweek after the birth of his child but is set to lose out to Raya in the battle for the gloves again.
While Arsenal have been hit by a couple of fresh concerns, Sheffield United fans will not bear any sympathy for their North London counterparts amid their injury crisis, which has now claimed Anel Ahmedhodzic after the Bosnia defender damaged his hamstring in training.
Ahmedhodzic joins Chris Basham (ankle), Daniel Jebbison (illness), Max Lowe (ankle), Tom Davies (thigh), John Egan (ankle) and Rhys Norrington-Davies (thigh) on the Blades' absentee list, while McBurnie made a premature exit from the loss to Man United due to a sore groin, which will need assessing ahead of the trip to the Emirates.
George Baldock (calf) and William Osula (muscle) are also on the touch-and-go list for the visitors, who should field former Arsenal man Auston Trusty in the heart of their depleted defence.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli
Sheffield United possible starting lineup:
Foderingham; Bogle, Trusty, Robinson, Thomas; McAtee, Souza, Norwood, Hamer; Archer, Brewster
We say: Arsenal 3-0 Sheffield United
While Sheffield United's efforts against Man United should be rightly applauded, Heckingbottom's ravaged defence are at risk of being picked off by Arsenal, even with the Gunners prioritising possession over quickfire attacks so far this term.
The hosts have never suffered defeat to Sheffield United at their Emirates headquarters, and Arteta's troops ought to prolong that streak here with a rare home clean sheet in tow.
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Top tip
Ben Knapton
