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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Simon Collings

Arsenal XI vs RC Lens: Starting lineup, confirmed team news and injury latest for Champions League today

Kai Havertz has been handed a place in Arsenal's starting line-up for tonight's match against RC Lens.

Leandro Trossard drops out of the XI in Mikel Arteta's only change from the late win at Brentford on the weekend, which came courtesy of a late Havertz goal.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW ARSENAL VS LENS LIVE!

Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira is set to be out for a number of weeks after undergoing groin surgery on Monday, leaving the Gunners short in the middle of the park for this Champions League tie.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is already without Emile Smith Rowe (knee) and Thomas Partey (thigh), who may not return until the New Year.

“We’ve got a problem with [Vieira],” said Arteta in his pre-match press conference. “He’s been having some discomfort. We tried to have some conservative treatment with him. 

“It wasn’t improving so we sent him to see a specialist and the advice was to have an operation in his groin. We did that yesterday. We expect him to be out for weeks now.”

Ben White is in the squad to face Lens, with a win securing Arsenal a place in the last-16 and top spot in Group B.

White has been struggling with a knee issue and worked away from the group at the start of Tuesday’s training session.

“He trained the day before the Brentford game and was feeling good, I think he’ll be available for this game,” said Arteta. “That’s very good news for us.”

Youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are in the squad after training with the first team on Tuesday. The pair have both returned from England's Under-17 World Cup campaign.

Arsenal XI: Raya; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli

Subs: Ramsdale, Hein, White, Cedric, Kiwior, Jorginho, Elneny, Nelson, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, Trossard, Nketiah

Injuries: Partey (thigh), Smith Rowe (knee), Timber (knee), Vieira (groin)

Time and date: 8pm GMT, Wednesday November 29, 2023

Venue: Emirates Stadium

Arsenal squad from: Ramsdale, Raya, Hein; Gabriel, Cedric, Kiwior, Saliba, Tomiyasu, White, Zinchenko; Elneny, Havertz, Jorginho, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Rice; Jesus, Martinelli, Nelson, Nketiah, Nwaneri, Saka, Trossard

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