Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has made just the one change to his starting lineup for Tuesday's Champions League opener against Athletic Bilbao.
The Gunners take on their Spanish counterparts at San Mames Stadium following a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forestin the Premier League, and 10 of the 11 starters from that game have been retained.
The only change comes in the engine room, as captain Martin Odegaard misses out with a shoulder injury, and Arteta has opted to start Mikel Merino in that position as Declan Rice comes back into the left eight role.
The Spaniard brought Ethan Nwaneri off the bench to replace Odegaard at the weekend, and the 18-year-old had been tipped to start in his captain's place for the European tie after impressing against the Tricky Trees.
Arteta was told that he would deal Nwaneri a "real blow"by not selecting the Hale End talent from the first whistle, but he has ultimately gone with the same midfield trio that started the 1-0 loss to Liverpool in August.
Eberechi Eze would have been another option in a central slot had Arteta wanted to get more minutes into Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli's legs, but the former Crystal Palace man instead continues on the left of the attacking trident.
Piero Hincapie kept waiting for Arsenal debut as William Saliba makes bench
Arsenal's William Saliba pictured on August 23, 2025
Arteta has also opted to deploy an unchanged backline, despite the potential for Piero Hincapie or Myles Lewis-Skelly to come in ahead of this weekend's blockbuster Premier League battle with Manchester City at the Emirates.
Cristhian Mosquera therefore retains his place over William Saliba, who is at least among the substitutes following an ankle injury, while Christian Norgaard is also part of a competitive Arsenal matchday squad for the first time.
Joining the likes of Saliba, Nwaneri and Norgaard on the bench is 15-year-old phenom Max Dowman, who will become the youngest player in Champions League history if he appears tonight, breaking the record set by a 16-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko in 2020.
While Dowman could create more individual history, Arsenal will break an all-time European Cup recordif they can take down Athletic, who are missing star man Nico Williams due to a groin injury.
The Euro 2024 winner's older brother Inaki Williams is fit and raring to go on the right-hand side, though, while the highly-rated Oihan Sancet operates as the number 10.
Arsenal and Athletic are facing off in a competitive game for the first time this evening, but Arteta's men cruised to a 3-0 win over Ernesto Valverde's team during this year's Emirates Cup.
Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Merino, Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Gyokeres, Eze
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Setford, Lewis-Skelly, Saliba, Hincapie, Norgaard, Dowman, Nwaneri, Martinelli, Trossard
Athletic XI: Simon; Gorosabel, Vivian, Paredes, Adama; Vesga, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Sancet, Navarro; Berenguer
Subs: Santos, Padilla, Guruzeta, Areso, Lekue, Galarreta, Berchiche, Unai G. Maroan, Serrano, Rego, De Luis
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