Arsenal head into Saturday’s Premier League clash with Brentford aiming to keep their faint title hopes alive, and they have momentum after a memorable European win.
The Gunners secured a famous 3-0 victory over Champions League holders Real Madrid on Tuesday, Declan Rice scoring a fair of wondrous free-kicks.
Preserving that advantage in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next week is the priority for Arsenal, and that is reflected by Mikel Arteta’s team selection.
Read on to see how both teams line-up.
Arsenal team news
Arteta has made five changes to the side that beat Madrid, Kieran Tierney making his first start since May 2023.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard, Jorginho and Ethan Nwaneri also come into the starting XI.
Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber, Mikel Merino and Myles Lewis-Skelly all drop to the bench.
Trossard will take Merino’s role as a makeshift central striker. Merino scored the third goal against Madrid and will likely reprise that role at the Bernabeu next Wednesday.
Arsenal XI: Raya, Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Tierney, Jorginho, Rice, Zinchenko, Nwaneri, Martinelli, Trossard.
Subs: Neto, Timber, Lewis-Skelly, Henry-Francis, Odegaard, Saka, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji, Merino.
Brentford team news
Brentford held Chelsea to a goalless draw last time out and Thomas Frank makes just one change for their second straight London derby.
Vitaly Janelt takes the place of Yehor Yarmoliuk in midfield.
Brentford XI: Flekken, van den Berg, Ajer, Collins, Lewis-Potter, Norgaard, Schade, Janelt, Mbeumo, Damsgaard, Wissa.
Subs: Valdimarsson, Henry, Pinnock, Jensen, Mee, Yarmoliuk, Konak, Kayode, Nunes.
