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Confirmed line-ups: Port Vale vs Arsenal – Saka & Saliba start in strong XI

By on September 24, 2025

Arsenal - Martinelli and saka

Arsenal will be looking to avoid a giant killing when we take on Port Vale in the 3rd round of the Carabao Cup at Vale Park tonight.

It comes as no surprise to see Mikel Arteta rotating his ranks for tonight’s game, especially with a huge Premier League trip to Newcastle United coming up on Sunday.

David Raya is rested in goal so Kepa Arrizabalaga comes in between the sticks tonight. Jurrien Timber is also given a breather along with Riccardo Calafiori so Ben White starts at right-back while Myles Lewis-Skelly is recalled at left-back after losing the first team shirt this season.

William Saliba starts in defence while Cristhian Mosquera given another chance to impress following an excellent start to life in North London having arrived from Valencia in the summer. Gabriel Magalhaes is among the substitutes.

Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice make way with Christian Norgaard partnering Mikel Merino in the middle of the park. Norgaard makes his full debut following his summer move from Brentford.

Ethan Nwaneri comes in to add some much needed flair to the Arsenal side while Eberechi Eze comes in to start on the left flank. Gabriel Martinelli has been the hero off the bench in the last two games so he fully deserves his recall to the starting eleven tonight.

Noni Madueke has been ruled out for around 2 months with a knee injury that he sustained against Man City at the weekend. Bukayo Saka is therefore recalled to start after making his return from injury off the bench on Sunday.

Max Dowman is among the substitutes and the 15-year-old will be hoping to feature at some point. Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard are also on a strong Gunners bench tonight.

These are the line-ups:

Arsenal

Kepa, White, Saliba, Mosquera, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Merino, Nwaneri, Saka, Martinelli, Eze

Subs: Raya, Gabriel, Timber, Gyokeres, Trossard, Zubimendi, Calafiori, Rice, Dowman

Port Vale

Gauci; Humphreys, Debrah, Headly; Gabriel, Croasdale, Walters, Paton, G.Hall; C.Hall, Curtis

Subs: Marosi, Clark, Heneghan, Byers, Garrity, Stockley, Ojo, Faal, Cole.