And . . . We’re back. After a two week break for the most important bit of football that is the World cup Qualifications, we’re back to the triviality of club football. And as it is customary with the international break a handful of our player have return from their excursions with injuries. Needless to say we will be facing Everton with half our starting back 4.

Besides seeing Mad Jens for the last time in an Arsenal strip, the only goal that came in the last encounter with Everton was courtesy Niklas Bendtner, another player injured during his tour of duty for Denmark. On that day the season was already over for both teams thus a tame game quite unlike the Dec 29th bruiser at Goodison park.

Everton need a good result tomorrow, which means they will play the usual 10 behind the ball and hope to hit Arsenal on the break, a ploy which has worked well against us this term. The toffees will certainly not going to try to outplay Arsenal knowing that a draw is a good result for them and a worse result for the gunners.

The key man for Everton is Arteta. With 2 goals to his name and top of the league with 4 assists his current form will pose a stern test for Arsenal’s teenage midfield. However stern that test is, the fact that we need to win this game so there is no room for mistakes or lapse of concentration.

Gallas and Sagna are out for the game which means Toure will be shafted out right and we will see a paring of Silvestre and Djourou in the centre. There have been calls for Gallas to be left out and one tends to wonder how much of this injury is Wenger just wanting an excuse for doing just that.

Wenger have played Djourou at right back if he chooses to do so then it would be Kolo and Silvestre in the middle, however we have seen last season that Wenger does not have a problem with Kolo at right, don’t even mention Eboue as far as I see it Wenger has forgotten that Eboue was a right back, I’ll be very surprised if Eboues moves to cover for Sagna.

Now that Diaby is fit for a while, you do know it’s only for a few games, it will be interesting to see what Arsene decides to do with the midfield. Denilson hasn’t been too bad and has been, if anything, consistent in the centre of the park. I would expect Arsene to stick with him and keep Diaby on the bench, no use risking Diaby so soon let him play a few low key reserve games.

It would come as no surprise to see Theo being rested with a champions league match coming up on Tuesday, Nasri should be in the mix with Adebayor and Van Persie up front to work on their telepathy. Ade should be up for it fresh from a 4 goal spree against Zambia, he should be in good spirits and hopefully the crowd will extend some kind of support towards him.

So a 4-4-2 with Silvestre making his first premier league appearance in Arsenal colours should be enough to overcome a stout defensive Everton. I make it Arsenal 3 – 1 Everton there is no way we will keep a clean sheet tomorrow.