Mikel Arteta promised a competitive side would face Brighton in the midweek League Cup and he has delivered to some extent but there are major changes. There was always an expectation that some players would be rotated but perhaps with only William Saliba keeping his place from the weekend that is of some surprise.
One key change to the group is in goal. Third-choice stopper and Estonian international Karl Hein makes his senior debut for the club he joined as a 16-year-old in 2018. Matt Turner was on the bench for the clash with Chelsea at the weekend but will not be given the chance to play before the World Cup with Aaron Ramsdale expected to return for Wolves.
Cedric Soares makes his first start of the season having failed to break into Mikel Arteta's plans with both Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu being the typical options. Rob Holding expectantly returns to the group to play with Cedric for the first time since the pair's nightmarish display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the end of the previous campaign.
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William Saliba is the only player to keep his place from the side that beat Chelsea and he will be of great benefit to Cedric to his right. Providing the speed and balance needed for the Portuguese full-back to get forward.
Kieran Tierney starts the game at left-back after losing his place again to Oleksandr Zinchenko who began the game and performed strongly at Chelsea. Tierney will hope to have a similar commanding and goalscoring display as he did less than a week ago against FC Zurich.
Mohamed Elneny and Albert Sambi Lokonga come into the midfield and keep their place from the game against FC Zurich. Fabio Vieira comes in for Martin Odegaard as he starts his own first game against English opposition since he scored at Brentford.
The front three is fully changed with Marquinhos returning to the senior side for the first time since he came off the bench away at Bodo/Glimt nearly a month ago. Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah return to the team to complete a youthful forward line.
Arsenal XI: Hein, Cedric, Saliba, Holding, Tierney, Elneny, Lokonga, Vieira, Marquinhos, Nelson, Nketiah
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