Arsenal have reverted back to their strongest starting XI for today’s Premier League clash with Southampton.
William Saliba, captain Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli were among six changes to the Gunners team that beat PSV Eindhoven in the Europa League on Thursday, with Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White and Thomas Partey all rested too.
They are all brought back into the starting lineup for this afternoon’s clash at St Mary’s, with Mikel Arteta confirming that Bukayo Saka and Martinelli are both fit after being injury doubts earlier this week.
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW SOUTHAMPTON VS ARSENAL LIVE!
“I think [Saka] is fine,” said Arteta on Friday. “He was struggling a bit at the end but hopefully he’ll be fine for Sunday.
“[Martinelli] had a tough week. He wasn’t feeling great in the week. But in the day before the game he was already feeling better so that’s why we decided to play him a little bit.”
Oleksandr Zinchenko does not make the squad, though the left-back is recovering well from a calf injury that has troubled him since the start of October.
Emile Smith Rowe and Mohamed Elneny remain long-term absentees with groin and hamstring injuries respectively.
Arsenal starting XI: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu; Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
Arsenal subs: Turner, Cedric, Holding, Tierney, Lokonga, Vieira, Nelson, Marquinhos, Nketiah
Sunday 2pm BST, Sky Sports
Venue: St. Mary’s
Injured: Elneny (hamstring), Smith Rowe (groin), Zinchenko (calf)
