Premier League football finally returns to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, as Arsenal host Burnley in a lunchtime kickoff match. The Gunners kick-started their new campaign with a hard-earned 1-0 victory against Newcastle United away at St.James' Park last Sunday. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang proved to the match-winner for the North Londoners, neatly finishing off Ainsley Maitland-Niles' cross in the second half.
The match again the Toons also saw the competitive debuts of summer signings Dani Ceballos, Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli, with all three players coming on as substitutes late in the second half to ensure that Unai Emery's men bagged all the three points.
Team News
Arsenal missed a lot of senior players for the season opener owing to injuries, lack of match fitness and security concerns. Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac are expected to feature against the Clarets after the duo returned to training this week amidst question marks over their security following recent events. Unai Emery was confident that the duo are mentally prepared for Saturday's match. He remarked,
Yes, 100 per cent. Their mentality is focused on us, for training and the match.
Alexandre Lacazette is expected to make an appearance after not coming off the bench at St.James' Park due to an ankle injury. Lucas Torriera could also be expected to play a part.
Granit Xhaka will miss the match because of a knock he picked up in training.
Suspensions: None
Injuries: Rob Holding (ACL), Hector Bellerin (ACL), Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin), Emile Smith Rowe (groin), Kieran Tierney (groin), Granit Xhaka (knock).
Predicted line-up:
Arsenal fans might finally see the lethal-looking trio of Lacazette, Aubameyang and record signing Nicolas Pepe link up for the first time. Lucas Torreira is expected to return to the starting lineup.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Leno; Maitland-Niles, Calum Chambers, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Nacho Monreal; Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Joe Willock, Nicolas Pepe; Alexandre Lacazette