Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is expected to remain without star striker Viktor Gyokeres for Saturday's Premier League showdown with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
The Sweden international damaged a muscle in the first half of last Saturday's 2-0 victory over Burnley, and reports have suggested that he will be sidelined until after the next national-team break.
With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus also working their way back from knee injuries, Arsenal are once again without a recognised centre-forward, so in steps Mikel Merino.
The Spaniard demonstrated his consistent goal threat with a brilliant brace in Tuesday's 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague, and he will no doubt lead the line with support from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, who should fill in for the injured Gabriel Martinelli.
Martin Zubimendi was another victim of the Turf Moor triumph, but the lynchpin had returned to training prior to Slavia Prague and was given a complete rest in midweek due to his Champions League ban anyway.
There are no doubts about Zubimendi's fitness for Saturday, when he should demote Christian Norgaard back down to the bench, where Ethan Nwaneri will also find himself as Eberechi Eze returns.
Riccardo Calafiori for Piero Hincapie should be the only other alteration that Arteta makes at the Stadium of Light, where Arsenal will go in search of an astonishing ninth consecutive clean sheet across all tournaments.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Merino, Trossard
> Click here to see how Sunderland could line up for this game
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