Arsenal and Bayern Munich combined XI
Bayern Munich and Arsenal face each other in their UEFA Champions League group stage game on Wednesday night, in a must-win match for the Gunners. Bayern top group F at the moment with 6 points from 2 games whereas Arsenal sit bottom of the group having failed to open their points tally from as many games as the Bavarian giants.In a surprising turn of events, Arsenal have bottled in their first two fixtures in Europe and now face an uphill task to advance to the knockout stages. Even if the result doesn’t favour the Gunners at home tomorrow, they will still be able to make it to the round of 16 if other outcomes go their way.Arsenal are expected to play fearlessly as suggested by manager Arsene Wenger and will try to register their first win of the group stages, while die Roten will look to show their European supremacy. Wednesday's match in London will be a good opportunity for Arsenal to embark on a reversal of fortunes and on that note, let’s take a look at an Arsenal and Bayern Munich combined XI. The team will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and the selections are presented below.
#1 Goalkeeper
Manuel Neuer has been giving a virtuoso account of himself in between the sticks and has kept 5 clean sheets in 9 appearances for Bayern, whilst averaging 1.11 saves per game and conceding a miserly 0.44 goals per match.
After a shaky start to the season, Petr Cech has found his feet and is the only other contender for the goalkeeper slot alongside Manuel Neuer. Having produced a great performance against Manchester United, Cech also kept a clean sheet in his sides’ victory over Watford last weekend.
The Czech Republic International has 5 clean sheets in 9 appearances as well but makes 2.67 saves per game and concedes an average 0.78 goals per match.
The stats invariably mean that Bayern has a better defence than Arsenal and thus the two keepers go neck and neck to lock down a spot in between the sticks.
This is a tough one, but my pick for the gloves would be Manuel Neuer. The German custodian is probably the best goalkeeper in the world at the moment and makes an immense contribution to Guardiola’s style of play which necessitates the ex-Schalke shot-stopper to function as a pseudo-sweeper, due to the gap created in the backline when the defenders rush to join the attack.
The two keepers will play a huge part in the result and both will look to ensure a win for their respective sides.