Arsenal will be looking for their first league win two months when they host Brighton at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night. The Gunners fired Unai Emery last week and replaced him with his assistant Freddie Ljungberg who kicked off his reign as interim boss with a 2-2 draw with Norwich City.
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The draw with Norwich had some positives from the way Arsenal approached the game but as always, there were a few issues that will need correcting when they face Brighton.
Below are three changes that need to be made.
Start Nicholas Pepe
The club-record signing has not featured in the last three matches that Arsenal has played in. He was an unused sub in the draw to Brighton when it felt like his qualities would have helped push the Gunners to a win.
Ljungberg opted for a double strike partnership of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre Aubameyang but that never works. Arsenal lacked width and someone who can beat players with skill and Nicholas Pepe offers that.
Rest Matteo Guendouzi
Matteo Guedouzi is an incredibly talented midfielder who has all the hallmarks to be the future of Arsenal football club. However, the player feature so much under Unai Emery to the extent that fatigue is beginning to show in his game lately.
With Lucas Torreira and Granit Xhaka having not played as much as he has this season, it feels like the right time to give him a much-earned rest before the festive fixtures come thick and fast.
Start Keiran Tierney
The left-back was left on the bench as Sead Kolasinac started of him. However, it is easy to see that Tierney is the superior footballer and most of his crosses are pinpoint.
Keiran Tierney is also the better defender and thus needs to be staring ahead of the Bosnian.