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Confirmed line-ups: Arsenal vs Chelsea: Smith Rowe starts, Willian not in squad

By on December 26, 2020

Arsenal entertain Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium this evening with Mikel Arteta in desperate need of a positive result.

The boss is without David Luiz as he’s unwell while Gabriel has been ruled out as he’s forced to self-isolate after coming into close contact with someone who’s got Covid. Therefore, Pablo Mari lines-up alongside Rob Holding in the middle of defence.

Hector Bellerin captains the side at right-back with Kieran Tierney on the left so Ainsley Maitland-Niles has to settle for a place on the Arsenal bench. Granit Xhaka is given an immediate recall to start in midfield alongside Mo Elneny so Dani Ceballos drops to the bench.

Emile Smith Rowe is given a chance to impress as he starts alongside Bukayo Saka and the fit again Gabriel Martinelli – who’s recovered from an ankle knock. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is only fit for a place on the bench so Alexandre Lacazette leads the line up front.

Nicolas Pepe, Joe Willock and Eddie Nketiah are all substitutes for Arsenal.

As for Chelsea, they have Tammy Abraham, Christian Pulisic and Timo Werner in attack while Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount join N’Golo Kante in midfield.

Here are the teams:

Arsenal

Leno; Bellerín, Holding, Mari, Tierney; Xhaka, Elneny; Saka, Smith Rowe, Martinelli; Lacazette.

Subs: Ceballos, Runarsson, Aubameyang, Maitland-Niles, Cedric, Pepe, Mustafi, Willock, Nketiah

Chelsea

Mendy, James, Silva, Zouma, Chilwell, Kovacic, Kante, Mount, Pulisic, Abraham, Werner

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Rudiger, Jorginho, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Gilmour, Azpilicueta, Havertz, Emerson Palmieri