The first official game of Arsenal's summer 2023 pre-season schedule takes place this evening (Thursday) with a friendly against Nurnberg.
Now, last Saturday's behind-closed-doors meeting with Watford at the London Colney training ground saw several members of the Gunners' senior squad not involved on international duty during the summer get their first run out since the 5-0 victory at home to Wolves on the final day of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
But business will pick up in Germany. Since Monday, the north London outfit have been using the Adidas HQ in preparation for the new campaign as Mikel Arteta looks to ensure his side are ready to take on Manchester City in the Community Shield on August 6 and for the visit of Nottingham Forest in their league opener six days later.
As is the case for any pre-season friendly, the Arsenal manager can experiment with his starting lineup and goes into today's game with a near full-strength squad at his disposal - in addition to youngsters Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Reuell Walters - with Emile Smith Rowe, Nuno Tavares, Arthur Okonkwo, Matt Turner, Nicolas Pepe and Albert Sambi Lokonga the only senior players to have not made the trip for one reason or another.
Having said that, Aaron Ramsdale should get the nod in between the sticks and there's a chance that he and Karl Hein get a half each as it would come as a big shock if Runar Alex Runarsson features at all with football.london reporting that he is free to leave in the summer transfer window.
Takehiro Tomiyasu took up the left-back role in training earlier in the week and it could be his starting position against Nurnberg with Benjamin White on the opposite flank. Depending on where William Saliba is at in terms of fitness after being sidelined since March, the return of a central defensive pairing with Gabriel Magalhaes may be placed on hold with Rob Holding continuing.
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The midfield selection will be interesting as Arteta can throw Kai Havertz in for his first appearance since completing a £65million transfer from Chelsea and pair him alongside captain Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey in a midfield three - thus giving supporters a small glimpse of what's in store once Declan Rice signs.
In attack, Gabriel Jesus can be restored to a centre-forward role after operating out wide against Watford with Gabriel Martinelli making his first start since sustaining an ankle injury against Brighton & Hove Albion back in May and Reiss Nelson completing the front three.
Arsenal predicted XI vs Nurnberg: Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Partey, Odegaard, Havertz; Nelson, Jesus, Martinelli.
With the option of making wholesale changes at the break or midway through the second half, Arteta can bring the likes of Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Kieran Tierney, Walters, Mohamed Elneny, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, Fabio Vieira, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Eddie Nketiah off the bench.
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