Pablo Mari makes his Premier League debut while Nicolas Pepe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang return as Arsenal get set to take on West Ham United.
Mikel Arteta has made six changes to the side that started in the 2-0 win over Portsmouth in the FA Cup, as Arsenal prepare to lock horns with West Ham United at the Emirates. The first of these shuffles comes in goal, with Bernd Leno coming in for Emiliano Martinez.
The big news, though, is that Pablo Mari makes his Premier League debut. Mari continues at the heart of the Arsenal defence alongside David Luiz, with Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Bukayo Saka resuming their duties as the full-back pairing. Interestingly, Hector Bellerin does not start as the right-back against West Ham.
? Today’s team news at Emirates Stadium…
?? @PabloMV5 makes his #PL debut
??????? @EddieNketiah9 leads the line
?? @Aubameyang7 also starts#ARSWHU | @PremierLeague— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 7, 2020
Up ahead in midfield, one of the changes was already forced due to the injury-enforced absence of Lucas Torreira. Matteo Guendouzi also bows out of the side, with Dani Ceballos and former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka coming in the double pivot. Mesut Ozil reprises the no. 10 role, with Joe Willock making way for him.
Out wide, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe return as expected. Pepe and Arsenal captain Aubameyang have been picked at the expense of Gabriel Martinelli and Reiss Nelson. Finally, Eddie Nketiah spearheads the hosts’ attack against West Ham, with Alexandre Lacazette missing out once again.
Arsenal Starting Lineup: Leno, Sokratis, Luiz, Mari, Saka, Xhaka, Ceballos, Pepe, Ozil, Aubameyang, Nketiah