Mikel Arteta has made 10 changes for tonight’s Champions League round of 16 game against Bayer Leverkusen, including William Saliba returning to the heart of our defence.
The Frenchman has missed the past couple of matches with an ankle injury but is back as part of a familiar-looking side after the boss rotated heavily for our FA Cup win at Mansfield Town on Saturday.
Having been rested for that game, Gabriel, Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice all return as expected, with only Gabriel Martinelli named in both starting line-ups. The Brazilian needs one more goal to equal the seven that Thierry Henry netted in 2002/03 to become our joint-highest scorer in a Champions League campaign.
Ben White is back on the bench after struggling of late with a muscle injury, where Kai Havertz is also waiting in reserve as he hopes to appear against the club where it all started for him.
Piero Hincapie will play against the side he is currently on loan from, while Riccardo Calafiori is fit enough for a spot on the bench after coming off against Mansfield, but Leandro Trossard misses out.
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How to watch Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal live on TV
Leverkusen meanwhile have made one change from the team that drew 3-3 with Freiburg on Saturday, with Exequiel Palacios coming into central midfield in place of Ezequiel Fernandez.
However, top scorer Patrick Schick is fit enough for a spot on the bench after missing the past couple of games with a muscular injury, but ex-Arsenal academy product Nathan Tella and Eliesse Ben Seghir have lost their battles to be included.
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Everything you need to know about Bayer Leverkusen
LINE-UPs
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Rice, Eze, Saka, Martinelli, Gyokeres.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Ranson, White, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Mosquera, Salmon, Norgaard, Madueke, Dowman, Havertz, Jesus.
Leverkusen: Blaswich, Andrich, Quansah, Tapsoba, Poku, Palacios, Garcia, Grimaldo, Maza, Terrier, Kofane.
Subs: Lomb, Omlin, Oermann, Tape, Fernandez, Hofmann, Tillman, Culbreath, Schick.
Ahead of kick-off, get prepared for the game with the key stats, TV coverage, Leverkusen’s tactics and players to watch and much more in our in-depth match preview
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Preview: Bayer Leverkusen v Arsenal
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