Arsenal face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday at the Emirates Stadium. It will be the first time the Gunners are in action at the traditional time of 3pm on a Saturday this season and ahead of this huge clash we look at how we expect the home side to line-up.
Goalkeeper
Bernd Leno is expected to replace Emiliano Martinez having been rested for the Carabao Cup tie at Anfield.
Defence
With Hector Bellerin still working his way back to full-fitness, Calum Chambers is expected to continue at right-back with Kieran Tierney slotting back in on the left-hand side. The pair were also rested on Wednesday night although the Scotland international made a brief cameo appearance replacing Sead Kolasinac late on. Summer signing David Luiz is expected to partner Sokratis Papastathopoulos in the heart of the Arsenal defence. Rob Holding played 90 minutes on Wednesday so it’s difficult to see him featuring from the start.
Midfield
Unai Emery confirmed under-fire captain Granit Xhaka will play no part in this fixture. Matteo Guendouzi is expected to start but the question mark is around whether Lucas Torreira is deemed fit enough to partner him, the Uruguayan played 72 minutes up at Anfield on Wednesday but given the lack of alternatives, we expect him to be given a second successive start.
As much as the fans would love to see Ozil handed a second Premier League start of the season – the fact he has played so very little football of late could see him relegated to the substitutes bench in which case Dani Ceballos, who only played 20 minutes up at Anfield, would be the sensible choice.
Attack
Although Brazilian star Gabriel Martinelli certainly made a case for himself to start in the Premier League up at Anfield, the £7.2m-rated forward is unlikely to displace Nicolas Pepe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Alexandre Lacazette who played no part in the midweek fixture.
Injuries
As confirmed by the club, Reiss Nelson remains the only absentee at the moment.
Arsenal Predicted XI to face Wolves
Leno, Chambers, Sokratis, David Luiz, Tierney, Guendouzi, Torreira, Ceballos, Pepe, Aubameyang & Lacazette.