Arsenal's 2023/24 Premier League season begins next month against Nottingham Forest, and in the meantime, preparations are firmly underway ahead of the game at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta welcomed back some members of his first-team squad on Monday as those involved on international duty last month such as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey and summer signing Kai Havertz were given extra time off and only reported for training on Saturday.
With that said, there has still been a strong Arsenal contingent at London Colney with the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Benjamin White, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Magalhaes, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Rob Holding and recalled loanees Marquinhos, Cedric Soares and Albert Sambi Lokonga all present.
After a few days of training, things were kicked up a notch on Saturday afternoon as an Arsenal XI were in action at the training ground facing off against Championship side Watford
The north London outfit have since revealed details of the friendly match and Marquinhos got on the scoresheet in a 1-1 draw. The Brazilian, who spent the second half of last season out on loan with Norwich City, reacted quickest to Amario Cozier-Duberry's shot being saved to coolly slot home the rebound to draw the Gunners level 10 minutes after the restart.
It has also been confirmed that Arteta named wonderkid Myles Lewis-Skelly in the starting line-up alongside Reiss Nelson - fresh off signing his new contract - alongside Mauro Bandeira and presumably Leandro Trossard in midfield with Arthur Okonkwo getting the nod in between the sticks.
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As William Saliba, Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko were not involved at all, it allowed the Arsenal manager then turned to more of the club's most promising youngsters in the second half with striker Mika Biereth and winger Cozier-Duberry among those to get a runout.
Arteta will now turn his attention to stepping up his side's pre-season plans for next week as the senior side will be in action against FC Nurnberg on July 13 at the Max-Morlock Stadion. They then return to London before flying to America for their second international tour of pre-season where they will face an MLS All-Star team, Manchester United and Barcelona.
Currently, the Emirates Cup clash against Ligue 1 outfit Monaco on August 2 is the final warm-up game pencilled in as the 2023/24 season curtain-raiser against Manchester City four days later precedes Arsenal's Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest the following weekend.
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