After some intense training at the Adidas HQ in Bavaria, Arsenal faces Nurnberg at the Mox-Morlock-Stadion to set the pre-season football plans in motion for the 2023/24 campaign. Off the pitch, everyone connected with Arsenal await the imminent arrivals of superstar signing, Declan Rice, and the versatile and depth adding defender, Jurrien Timber, but on the interim, we will have to make do with the lads that are around which still represent great quality.
We are certain that Arsenal will be without Albert Sambi Lokonga, who suffered a muscle injury that requires some attention, while Emile Smith-Rowe and Nuno Taveres are recuperating from their Euros Under-21s excursion. Matt Turner will also be resting in the United States while waiting for his teammates to join him in the MLS Tour, as the USMNT crashed out of the Gold Cup semis yesterday.
The Gunners have had some game time, albeit behind closed doors, against Watford, and they will be looking to do better in a more competitive environment like Nurnberg. When Arsenal played Nurnberg at the start of last season, the Gunners ran out as 5-3 winners and the game was fondly remembered for new signing, Gabriel Jesus, scoring two goals in his unofficial Arsenal debut. Speaking of debuts, we will be chanced to see new signing, Kai Havertz, strut his stuff for the first time with the club and with Granit Xhaka departed to Bayer Leverkusen, this will be the first opportunity to watch the German schemer play in the ‘left No. 8’ position ahead of the new campaign.
Unlike Arsenal that challenged for the Premier League last season and fell at the last hurdle, Nurnberg struggled badly in the 2. Bundesliga (German second division), finishing in 14th place, just five points shy of relegation. Their cause wasn’t helped with the fact that they had three managers in the cause of the campaign, sacking Robert Klaub in October 2022 and replacing him with Markus Weinzierl. He only lasted for 13 league matches which yielded four wins, and saw former boss Dieter Hecking return to the club on an interim basis to help them avoid the drop. With Hecking leaving the helm after steering the club clear of relegation, Reserve Team boss, Christian Fiel, has taken over the reins and will hope to have a better campaign than his predecessors.
They won 10 out of their 34 league games but had a decent run in the German DFB Pokal Cup, beating the likes of 1. FC Kaan-Marienborn, Waldhof Mannheim and Fortuna Dusseldorf, before crashing out of the quarterfinals to VFB Stuttgart. The club’s top scorer was Kwadwo Duah, who scored Arsenal when both sides met early last season. Sambi Lokonga lost possession further up the pitch and Kwadwo Duah used his blistering pace to evade Walters, came clean on goal, with Cedric Soares, who had come on for Tierney after half an hour, out of position. Duah fired a shot from quite some distance and Turner’s reaction was quite slow, as the ball found its way home to the bottom corner.
Arsenal vs Nurnberg Predicted Lineups
Arsenal: Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Havertz, Jorginho, Odegaard; Martinelli, Jesus, Saka.
Nurnberg: Vindahl Jensen; Lawrence, Flick, Horn, Castrop; Duman, Geis, Tempelmann; Gyamerah, Duah, Daferner
Injury / Suspension Updates
Arsenal: Albert Sambi Lokonga (muscle), Emile-Smith Rowe, Nuno Taveres, Matt Turner (holidays)
Nurnberg: Erik Wekesser (ACL), Christopher Schindler (ACL), Jannes Han (Hip), Taylan Duman (hamstring)
Form Guide
Arsenal Form
- Last Five Games: W L L W D
- Last Result: Arsenal 1-1 Watford (Kone 27’ | Marquinhos 53′)
- Leading Goalscorer: Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard (15 – last season)
Nurnberg Form
- Last Five Games: L D L W L
- Last Result: Hannover 96 3-0 Nurnberg (Borner 43’, Kohn 49’, Beier 70’)
- Leading Goalscorer: Kwadwo Duah (11 – last season)
Gooner Daily predicts a 3-1 win.
Kick Off – 6.00pm (GMT +1) at Max-Morlock-Stadion.
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