Arsenal, who currently rule the English Premier League, have two more games to play in the league before the national break. Two games in which they will go into as clear favourites. Already today, their charges Mikel Arteta's will be at Turf Moor to take on Burnley at home. A week later, the Gunners travel to Sunderland, another newcomer this season. Although neither game will be easy, the team that wants to fight for the title should take all the points from both matches. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. I'll get to the Sunderland game and their great performance so far next time (or rather, the time after that). For now, let's give our full attention to the game against Burnley.
Form
We are currently in the phase between the two national breaks, so all the clubs have already had a game after the last break. Some, like Arsenal of all places, more, others, which can include Burnley, less. For this reason. it is not possible to objectively compare or evaluate the current form of both teams, but I have to work with what is. Something can certainly be gleaned from the recent results.
Arsenal
I will comment on Arsenal's form this time in a slightly unconventional and very brief way. Probably most of you have seen in the media or on social networks information about how the North London team did during the month of October. Six competitive games, six wins, twelve goals scored and no goals conceded. There is probably nothing more to add. Perhaps only that Arsenal is the first English team in history to play six games in one month, winning all of them and not scoring a single goal. Arsenal's form is therefore excellent in the short and long term.
With a Premier League game coming up, we can at least take a look at how the Gunners are doing in the league table. Mikel Arteta's men have nine rounds under their belts. Twenty-two points and is in 1st place. Arsenal are four points away from their nearest pursuer, which is surprisingly Bournemouth. The record of the last five league games is solid, four wins and one draw. After the national break Arsenal played only two games in the English league, against Fulham and Crystal Thumbs. In both, they won by the narrowest possible margin, 1-0.
Burnley
Burnley are predicted to be in the bottom half of the table. Specifically, Scott Parker's team is tied for the lead after nine rounds with ten points 16th place. From one point of view, it's certainly not a great thing, from another, we are talking about Burnley, with all due respect. A team whose main objective in the current Premier League season is to be relegated.
Burnley's long-term form is certainly not dazzling, quite the opposite. However, I would like to stop at the fact that after the national break, the Turf Moor side played two Premier League games and won both of them. Burnley first beat Leeds (2-0) and a week later managed to win against Wolverhampton (3-2). Scott Parker's teammates confirmed my words that national team breaks can do wonders for the current form of teams. Before the break, Burnley had been waiting to win six games in a row, now they have two in a row.
So not to be critical of Burnley, I definitely have to highlight the last two results. I wouldn't call it form yet, but it's definitely worth praising. Plus, when I look at the opponents Burnley have faced so far this season, they are mostly teams from the top tier of the table. In the coming weeks, with a few exceptions, a more favourable lot awaits the English manager's charges.
Team and expected line-up
Mikel Arteta shuffled the lineup in the cup game against Brighton, so it's to be expected, that against Burnley, he'll put the strongest possible eleven back on the pitch. A number of Arsenal's key players did not feature in the EFL Cup semi-final match, so the North Londoners should be at full strength for the Turf Moor match. So what could Arsenal's line-up look like in the game against Burnley?
David Raya
Kepa will return to the three poles after a cup game in which he got his chance David Raya. His Spanish colleague scored his second clean sheet in his second competitive start in Arsenal's jersey after a solid performance, but there is no doubt about his position as Arsenal's number one at the moment.
Jurriën Timber
He should also return to the starting lineup Jurriën Timber. The Dutch defender appeared on the pitch in the last twenty minutes of the match against Brighton and still managed to show his qualities to the full, when he signed in bold letters for the second goal scored by Arsenal. Timber has deservedly become a stalwart on the right side of defence and at the moment I can't imagine him missing from the strongest line-up.
William Saliba
Although Mikel Arteta's health condition William Saliba was a little vague in the pre-game conference, so I think the French defender will be available. At the same time, I expect that if Saliba is indeed part of the nomination, then will start in the starting lineup. In the absence of William Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera would take his place on the pitch.
Gabriel
A small question mark still hangs over William Saliba's start, his partner Gabriel shouldn't be missing from the starting lineup. The Brazilian defender did appear in Wednesday's cup match, coming on for the last 20 minutes, but Arteta's intention was not only clear in his case. To save his strength for the league game against Burnley.
Riccardo Calafiori
Riccardo Calafiori from the last league game against Crystal Palace sustained minor injuries, but on Wednesday, even though he didn't start, he was part of the team. That indicates one thing, Calafiori is fit and should be ready to hit the field for the Turf Moor game. In the cup game he was replaced on the left flank by Myles Lewis-Skelly, but against Burnley we should see the Italian international in the starting line-up.
Martín Zubimendi
Martín Zubimendi is another player who was given the night off for Wednesday's game. Although it was not a rest day in the true sense of the word (Zubimendi spent the match on the substitutes' bench), we can definitely say that the Spanish midfielder had at least a little physical rest during the demanding schedule. In today's game at Turf Moor, however, he certainly will once again dictate the pace of his team's play from the first minute.
Declan Rice
He will also return to the starting eleven Declan Rice. So did he, like, for example, Jurriën Timber or Gabriel, struck at the end of the EFL Cup semi-final match against Brighton. However, that shouldn't stop him from starting against Burnley from the first minute. On the contrary.
Eberechi Eze
Eberechi Eze was the only player in the expected line-up against Burnley to start from the first minute in the cup match against Brighton. Still, I think, that he would be the one to start at Turf Moor in position ten. There is also a possibility that we will see Ethan Nwaneri in the starting lineup, as he played a full game in this position in Wednesday's EFL Cup match. The English youngster even scored when he finished a beautiful team action. Personally, I'm inclined to think that Eze will start against Burnley, while Nwaneri will start against Slavia.
Bukayo Saka
Although Bukayo Saka came on in the second half of the cup match, he managed to be one of the successful scorers. This reminded everyone once again of his quality and how important he is for Mikel Arteta's team. I wrote about his influence and his position in the cabinet recently, so I wouldn't like to repeat myself. So I'll just add that Saka should definitely not be in the starting lineup today.
Leandro Trossard
On the other side of the field should be operating against Burnley Leandro Trossard. The Belgian could be a great weapon against Burnley thanks to his great technique and ability to use both feet fully in the game. His inclusion in the starting lineup is also very likely due to the fact that his biggest competitor at left wing, Gabriel Martinelli, will be out due to injury.
Viktor Gyökeres
He'll be back on the attack Viktor Gyökeres. He didn't appear in the cup game at all, so he should be full of strength and determination before the game against Burnley. I can't shake the feeling that he will extend his Premier League goal account this afternoon. So hopefully my feeling will be confirmed.
Substitutes
Not only the starting line-up will change compared to the last game against Brighton, but also the composition of the substitutes' bench. Most of the players will, simply put, swap positions. Those who started in the starting line-up in the EFL Cup will now sit among the substitutes and vice versa. So, in addition, the squad against Burnley should not be missing Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapié, Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Nørgaard, Mikel Merino and Ethan Nwaneri. With Mikel Arteta confirming that Gabriel Martinelli will still be unavailable, that leaves one more vacancy on the bench, which will most likely be taken by Max Dowman.
In the week, Mikel Arteta confirmed that the long-absent foursome Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Noni Madueke and Martin Ødegaard will still not be available. However, he added that there is a real chance that all players except Gabriel Jesus will be fully ready after the national break. Guess who Arsenal will face after the break? Whoever guessed Tottenham guessed right. The return of Ødegaard, Madueke and Havertz would be a huge boost for Arsenal ahead of the North London derby. Let's hope that this will be the case. To complete the injured list, he won't be playing Burnley either. Gabriel Martinelli. I already wrote about the status of Willam Saliba, I expect him to be available.
About the opponent
Burnley, a team that has long been on the borderline between the Premier League and the Championship. I guess that's how I would define this club. And this description, in my opinion, says everything that is essential upon deeper reflection. Despite the fact that the days when Burnley under Sean Dyche were renowned for their extremely defensive approach and simple football are long gone, the the club's emphasis on defence is still there. However, considering the fact that Burnley is undoubtedly one of the smallest clubs in the Premier League, it is not surprising. Scott Parker certainly doesn't have the options available to him that, say, Mikel Arteta has at Arsenal. The defensive style of play of the biggest outsiders in the competition, and I'm not just talking about Burnley, simply and simply makes sense.
Burnley's roster is not brimming with star names either, but that doesn't mean there aren't quality players in the squad. It is still a Premier League team, so Burnley players must have a certain level of quality. Which footballers are among the biggest drivers and stars of the team? Slovakian goalkeeper became one of the main figures in Scott Parker's squad immediately after his arrival from Newcastle Martin Dúbravka. The most prominent, or perhaps the most prominent, name on the Burnley roster is the experienced defender Kyle Walker. From the midfield I would like to mention two players. The first is Lesley Ugochukwu, who joined from Chelsea before the current season. The other is Hannibal Mjebri, who came through Manchester United's academy. The offensive line has been the biggest draw so far this year. Jaidon Anthony. The English striker has already scored four goals. At Turf Moor, they're surely hoping for another Chelsea signing in Armando Borja. However, the Albanian representative has not yet managed to win a place in the starting line-up. Let's see how he will fare in the rest of the season.
Match
This time it should be a typical match between a clear favourite and a clear underdog. Although the game will be played at Turf Moor, Burnley's home stadium, the visiting Arsenal should dictate the pace of the game for virtually the entire match. The quality and breadth of the squad, the experience of the individuals and the team as a whole, the current and long-term form, all stand in the favour of the North London side.
Burnley will play from a deep block and will focus on not scoring. If the home team gets a chance for a fast break, they will certainly try to take it, but I don't expect any big offensive activity. Instead, Arsenal will keep the ball and try to find loopholes in the Burnley defence. Mikel Arteta's men have the quality to score against Burnley. The sooner they can score, the better they will play the rest of the game. Burnley can make it very difficult for the favourites to score with their play. Just remember the Liverpool game at Burnley, which was decided by a penalty in injury time. I believe that the Gunners will approach the game responsibly, show a dominant performance and go for three points. I predict Arsenal to win 3:0.
Next match
Arsenal in Prague! Yes, you read that right. The Gunners head to their next game in the Champions League to Prague's Eden, where they will face Slavia. The match is scheduled for Tuesday4th of November 2025 from 18:45 (CET). In the domestic league competition, Mikel Arteta's side will play another away game. On Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 18:30 (CET) Arsenal will take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
See you next time, I'll look forward to it!
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Editor, administrator and editor of the True Gunner Diary website, but above all a devoted Arsenal fan. I started with sports articles at the Tipsport bookmaker, where I have published more than 100 blogs. If you want to know more about me, check out the section of the same name here on the site.