Arsenal XI vs Brighton: Starting lineup, confirmed team news, Mikel Merino injury latest today
Leandro Trossard starts against former club Brighton today, but Arsenal have to make do without new signing Mikel Merino.
Merino, who finally joined the Gunners from Real Sociedad for £31.6million on Tuesday, had been hoping to make his debut at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon - but he is out with a shoulder injury suffered in his very first training session at London Colney on Thursday.
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Gabriel Jesus will also play no part in the game due to a groin injury and Takehiro Tomiyasu is still out with a knee issue, along with Kieran Tierney (hamstring).
Neto and Raheem Sterling joined on loan from Bournemouth and Chelsea respectively late on transfer deadline day, with midday on Friday the cut-off point to register new players to feature at the weekend.
“Very unfortunate,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said about Merino’s injury on Friday. “Yesterday he had a collision and he has a shoulder injury unfortunately. It looks like he’s going to be out for a few weeks.
“First session. He was really excited and everything was looking really good. He landed on the floor and Gabi landed on top of him and it looks like he has a small fracture probably.”
Arsenal make one change to the team who beat Aston Villa 2-0 last weekend at Villa Park, with Trossard preferred to Gabriel Martinelli in attack after scoring off the bench with his first touch in the Midlands.
Tommy Setford, who joined this summer from Ajax for £1m, is on the bench as back-up to David Raya, with Neto ineligible and the likes of Karl Hein out on loan and Arthur Okonkwo no longer at the club.
The 18-year-old was signed as a player for the academy, but Arsenal have few other options on Saturday.
Youngsters Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Salah-Eddine Oulad M'Hand are also on the bench with Arsenal having also said goodbye to the likes of Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson on deadline day.
Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Saka, Havertz, Trossard
Subs: Setford, Kiwior, Calafiori, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Jorginho, Salah, Nwaneri, Martinelli
Injured: Jesus (groin), Merino (shoulder), Tomiyasu (knee), Tierney (hamstring)
Unavailable: Neto, Sterling
Time and date: 12.30pm BST on Saturday August 31, 2024
Venue: Emirates Stadium
TV channel: TNT Sports
