Arsenal take on Monaco at the Emirates Stadium tonight looking for a win to move us back into the top eight of the Champions League table.
Having taken 10 points from our opening five games, Arsenal will be well positioned to secure one of the automatic qualification spots if we can see-off the Ligue 1 outfit on home soil tonight.
Mikel Arteta was already down to the bare bones in defence after Gabriel Magalhaes, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko all missed the draw with Fulham at the weekend. Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey then gave us a scare after missing training earlier in the week but thankfully they are in the squad tonight.
Timber isn’t risked from the start as he’s on the bench so youngster Miles Lewis-Skelly is handed a chance to impress at left-back. Partey retains his place at right-back. William Saliba is partnered by Jacub Kiwior again in the middle of defence with Gabriel still out.
Declan Rice starts in midfield along with Mikel Merino while Martin Odegaard captains the Gunners again this evening and we’ll need some magic for the skipper if we want to get all three points.
Bukayo Saka will once again be the danger-man in attack for Arsenal as he supports Gabriel Jesus up front. Gabriel Martinelli has been recalled to start out on the left flank with Leandro Trossard making way.
These are the teams:
Arsenal
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Raya, Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Merino, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus.
Subs: Neto, Setford, Timber, Tierney, Robinson, Heaven, Monlouis, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling, Havertz.
Monaco
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Majecki, Vanderson, Kehrer, Ben Seghir, Golovin, Akliouche, Caio, Camara, Salisu, Embolo, Magassa
Subs: Lienard, Kohn, Teze, Ouattara, Nibombe, Minamino, Matazo, Michal, Ilenikhena, Tincres