Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus have returned to our starting line-up for tonight’s Champions League opener against Atalanta.
The England midfielder sat out the north London derby on Sunday due to suspension, but is back tonight to line up alongside Thomas Partey in midfield, while Jesus is named as captain, with Jorginho and Leandro Trossard dropping to the bench.
The Brazilian scored in all four of his Champions League starts last season – only Filippo Inzaghi, Diego Costa, Neymar and Sebastien Haller have scored in each of their first five starts for a specific club in the competition.
Riccardo Calafiori is also fit for a place amongst the replacements, while Raheem Sterling could become the first player to play for four English teams in European Cup/Champions League history should he be introduced.
Atalanta meanwhile have made one change to their team that beat Fiorentina 3-2 on Sunday, with veteran Italian international Davide Zappacosta coming in at right wing-back instead of Raoul Bellanova.
That means that former Gunner Saed Kolasinac starts against his former club, while star men Ademola Lookman and Mateo Retegui continue up front.
LINE-UPS
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Partey, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus.
Subs: Neto, Porter, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Kiwior, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Gower, S. Oulad-M’Hand, Trossard, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji.
Atalanta: Carnesecchi, Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac, Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri, De Ketelaere, Retegui, Lookman.
Subs: Patricio, Rossi, Kossonou, Del Lungo, Bellanova, Palestra, Pasalic, Cuadrado, Samardzic, Brescianini, Zaniolo, Vlahovic.
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