How Arsenal could line up against Cardiff City

Arsenal host Cardiff City on Tuesday night knowing that victory will temporarily take them level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea in the Premier League table.

It is sure to be an emotional occasion at the Emirates Stadium, with Cardiff in action for the first time since new club-record signing Emiliano Sala was on a plane which disappeared and has not yet been found.

Both clubs must attempt to put the tragic events to one side for 90 minutes, though, with Arsenal hoping to bounce back from their FA Cup exit on Friday night.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the Gunners could line up for the contest.

Out: Sokratis Papastathopoulos (foot), Hector Bellerin (knee), Rob Holding (knee), Laurent Koscielny (jaw), Danny Welbeck (ankle) Doubtful: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (foot)

Arsenal were hit with two more defensive injury blows during the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United, with both Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Laurent Koscielny being forced off.

Koscielny avoided a broken jaw but remains doubtful for this game, while Sokratis will be sidelined for two or three weeks.

Shkodran Mustafi will return in defence, and a lack of other options could see Unai Emery switch to a back three with Nacho Monreal and Stephan Lichtsteiner filling in.

Mesut Ozil is also in contention to feature, although he has not started a Premier League game since Boxing Day and may have to make do with a place among the subs once again.