Sixth-placed Arsenal host Everton at the Emirates Stadium in the late Premier League tie on Saturday and both sides have revealed their lineups ahead of the massive clash in the English capital.
📋 Team news is in – and it’s home debuts for @HenrikhMkh and @Aubameyang7 😁#AFCvEFC pic.twitter.com/Szr1Z5AVTn
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) February 3, 2018
The Gunners have handed club-record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a debut at the expense of Alexandre Lacazette, with Henrik Mkhitaryan making his first start alongside the Gabonese international in their 4-3-3-1 formation.
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Mesut Ozil and Alex Iwobi feature with Mkhitaryan behind Aubameyang with Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka anchoring their midfield.
Petr Cech starts in goal, with a four-man defence of Hector Bellerin, Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi and Nacho Monrea in front of him.
👕 | Team news is in for this evening’s clash with @Arsenal!
5️⃣ changes
✅ @Elia22Mangala debut#EFCawayday pic.twitter.com/OXJzAdhQFw— Everton (@Everton) February 3, 2018
Sam Allardyce has opted to go with a 3-4-3 for their visit to the Emirates, with Yannick Bolasie and new signing Theo Walcott flanking Oumar Niasse up top.
Morgan Schneiderlin, Idrissa Guete, Cuco Martina and Jonjoe Kenny feature in the middle of the park for the Toffees while Elaquim Mangala makes his debut at the back alongside Ashley Williams and Michael Keane in front of custodian Jordan Pickford.
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For Arsenal, winning on Saturday is imperative after losing 3-1 at Swansea City in midweek and it’s the first time their vaunted acquisitions are playing together and with £56 million-man Lacazette warming the bench, the pressure will be on the Gunners to deliver.
‘Big Sam’ has guided the Toffees out of the drop zone since taking over but as the Merseysiders eye the European spots, winning on Saturday is equally important for them as a loss would effectively consign them to mid-table mediocrity this season.
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Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny (c), Monreal, Xhaka, Ramsey, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Ozil and Aubameyang.
Everton: Pickford, Kenny, Martina, Williams (c), Keane, Mangala, Schneiderlin, Gueye, Walcott, Bolasie and Niasse.
Match kicks-off at 17.30 GMT/2300 IST.