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Arsenal will be looking to continue their strong pre-season form as they defend their Emirates Cup title against AS Monaco on Wednesday. This will be their last friendly before the FA Community Shield and their first pre-season match in front of their home crowd.
The Emirates Cup, an exhibition competition introduced by Arsenal in 2007, gives the Gunners a chance to host European giants and compete for silverware. Arsenal‘s latest victory in the Cup was a resounding 6-0 win over Sevilla in the 2022 edition. They will be hoping to give their fans more to cheer about as they prepare for the upcoming 2023-24 campaign and the Community Shield against Manchester City.
Arsenal goes into the match against Monaco with a strong record in the Emirates Cup, having won three out of their last four fixtures. Their last defeat in the Cup came in 2019 against Lyon under Unai Emery. When it comes to head-to-head clashes, Arsenal and Monaco have met three times before, with each team winning one match at their respective home stadiums during the 2015 Champions League group stage. Monaco also secured a 0-1 victory against Arsenal during the 2014 edition of the Emirates Cup.
In terms of recent form, Arsenal had a strong league campaign in the 2022-23 season, finishing as the runners-up. They have made significant signings to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season, which includes a return to the Champions League. Their pre-season got off to a slow start with draws against Watford and FC Nurnberg, but their US tour saw an improvement, with two wins and one loss.
On the other hand, Monaco had a disappointing season in Ligue 1, finishing in 6th position and missing out on European competitions. They had the worst defensive record among the top half of the table, conceding 58 goals. Under new manager Adi Hutter, Monaco has had a relatively positive start to their pre-season, with three wins and two defeats in their five friendlies.
In terms of team news, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is still figuring out his best starting XI, having rotated his squad in the US tour. New signings Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, and Declan Rice have all featured in different matches. Rice may not be fully fit due to a knock, while Reiss Nelson and Folarin Balogun are recovering from injuries. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Mohamed Elneny are also unavailable.
Arsenal‘s predicted starting XI for the match is Ramsdale, Timber, Gabriel, Saliba, Tierney, Odegaard, Rice, Partey, Trossard, Jesus, and Saka.
Overall, Arsenal will be looking to build on their strong pre-season form and defend their Emirates Cup title against Monaco before they face Manchester City in the Community Shield and the new season.
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