Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is absent from the Gunners’ squad against North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The Norway international misses the first derby of the season after suffering an ankle sprain during the international break, although Mikel Arteta refused to rule him out in his pre-game press conference.
However, the Spaniard’s comments were just smoke and mirrors, and Odegaard is unavailable as expected, forcing Arteta into a midfield reshuffle with Declan Rice and Mikel Merino also missing out.
Either Leandro Trossard or Kai Havertz could fill the Odegaard void in the number 10 role, while Jorginho is also recalled in place of the suspended Rice and wears the captain’s armband for the away side.
Riccardo Calafiori is also missing from the Arsenal team due to the calf problem he picked up while playing for Italy, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is an unexpected absentee due to a calf injury.
Gabriel Jesus is back on the bench after a groin complaint, though, while Raheem Sterling could also make his debut as a substitute following his loan move from Chelsea.
© Imago
There are no fewer than five teenagers on the Arsenal bench, as Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ayden Heaven, Maldini Kacurri and Ismeal Kabia make up the numbers for the injury-hit visitors.
In contrast, Tottenham have received two huge boosts on the team news front, as Dominic Solanke and Micky van de Ven are both fit to start after shaking off their own concerns.
The former joins Brennan Johnson and Son Heung-min in an incredibly offensive Tottenham XI, also comprising Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison alongside Rodrigo Bentancur in an attack-heavy midfield.
The hosts are without Yves Bissouma due to the knock he picked up on international duty, though, while Richarlison is also still absent on account of his training injury.
In total, Ange Postecoglou has made four changes from the defeat to Newcastle United two weekends ago, as Wilson Odobert also drops to the bench in favour of the recalled Johnson.
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Kulusevski, Bentancur, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Son
Subs: Forster, Spence, Davies, Dragusin, Gray, Sarr, Bergvall, Odobert, Werner
Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Trossard, Partey, Jorginho; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Subs: Neto, Kiwior, Heaven, Kacurri, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, Jesus, Sterling, Kabia
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