Gabriel Magalhaes and Willian will make their debut for Arsenal while Mohamed Elneny is preferred over Dani Ceballos for their Premier League season opener against Fulham.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has handed new signing Gabriel Magalhaes his Premier League debut as the Gunners gear up to take on Fulham in the first game of the 2020/21 Premier League. The Brazilian, who arrived from Lille this summer, will start as part of the three-man backline, that also features Rob Holding and Kieran Tierney.
There is no place in the matchday squad for William Saliba, while David Luiz misses out with injury. Bernd Leno reclaims his spot between the sticks from Emiliano Martinez, who is not in the squad, amid speculations over his future at the club.
? Team news for our first @PremierLeague game of the season…
?? @biel_m04 makes his first start
?? @RobHolding95 and @KieranTierney1 both in defence
?? There's also a debut for @WillianBorges88#️⃣ #FULARS
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 12, 2020
Hector Bellerin starts as the right-sided wing-back, while Ainsley Maitland-Niles is preferred over Sead Kolasinac on the opposite flank for Arsenal. In midfield, Granit Xhaka continues alongside Mohamed Elneny, who has made quite the impression since returning from loan. This means Dani Ceballos, who is back on loan from Real Madrid, is benched.
Finally, in attack, there is another player set to make his Arsenal debut, as Willian gets the nod ahead of Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe on the right-wing. Captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang takes up the left flank, with Alexandre Lacazette spearheading the attack ahead of Eddie Nketiah.
Arsenal Confirmed XI: Leno; Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Bellerin, Elneny, Xhaka, Maitland-Niles; Willian, Lacazette, Aubameyang.
