Viktor Gyokeres agreement reached and Bukayo Saka decision – Arsenal line-ups vs Napoli decided
Viktor Gyokeres in Arsenal training.(Image: Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta has the luxury of making wholesale changes to the starting lineup when Arsenal lock horns with Napoli. The Gunners will hope to get off to a winning start in the UEFA Champions League 'league phase' when they face Massimiliano Allegri's side at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Wednesday night.
Arsenal fell at the final hurdle last season, losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in Budapest, leaving the Spaniard hungry for European silverware. Although there's a lot of work still to be done to reach the final in Madrid, Arteta believes his side can get even better this term.
Speaking to reporters at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday evening, following a 2-1 win over Chelsea, the Gunners boss said: "I think it's an indication for us of how capable we are to perform at an even higher level than last season.
"It depends on how we maintain and sustain that desire, that humbleness and continue every day to try to find a better version of myself and the team. We still have a lot to grow and a lot to offer, and this is the ambition of the team."
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On Wednesday night, Arteta will hope he can walk the walk and lay the foundations to a Champions League title bid. So, with that being said, Sam Truelove and Jake Stokes of football.london have predicted the Arsenal starting lineup to face Napoli.
Arsenal face Napoli in their opening Champions League fixture on September 9. Fans can watch the game live on TNT Sports via HBO Max or Prime Video's TNT Sports channel.
The weekend win over Chelsea will have taken it out of a few of these Arsenal players and I expect Mikel Arteta to make a few changes. The back five including David Raya should remain the same, though.
Piero Hincapie will have a role off the bench and Jurrien Timber may well also be given his first minutes of the season in a cameo role as a substitute. This is the sort of game Declan Rice can be given a rest in with Martin Zubimendi and Bruno Guimaraes coming into the starting XI.
Martin Odegaard is just too influential to drop at the minute so the captain remains. Up top Viktor Gyokeres may fancy a start but, like Odegaard, Kai Havertz has started the season in red hot form so I see no reason to leave the German out.
Noni Madueke could come in for Bukayo Saka, though, to give the Hale Ender somewhat of a break while Eberechi Eze probably deserves a chance to show his quality on the left.
Sam's starting lineup: David Raya; Ben White, Ezri Konsa, Gabriel Magalhaes, Riccardo Calafiori; Martin Zubimendi, Bruno Guimaraes, Martin Odegaard; Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze.
I expect Mikel Arteta to make wholesale changes to the Arsenal starting lineup on Wednesday night. Although I'm sure the Gunners boss would love to field the same side that faced Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon, I'm sure he'll recognise the value in his wealth of squad depth.
Neither Kepa Arrizabalaga nor Illan Meslier are at the level required, so David Raya should remain between the sticks. With William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera out, and Jurrien Timber yet to feature this season, Arteta can't really afford to change the backline too much for a game of this magnitude, so Piero Hincapie should come in for Riccardo Calafiori.
Arsenal may as well deploy an entirely new midfield of Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, and Bruno Guimaraes to give the others a much-deserved rest. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Declan Rice starts and the former Newcastle United skipper just comes off the bench in the second-half.
Up top, again, Arsenal may as well deploy an entirely new frontline. Arteta has the luxury of making wholesale changes, and he'll only regret not doing so later in the season when those who are suddenly required to replace the starters aren't up to scratch.
Jake's starting lineup: David Raya; Piero Hincapie, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ezri Konsa, Ben White; Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Bruno Guimaraes; Eberechi Eze, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke.
After a number of years as a news reporter covering stories across London, Sam began working for football.london as a Content Editor in 2021. Overseeing Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham content, Sam also keeps a close eye on Liverpool and Crawley Town. Away from work Sam is either playing football, in a pub or on the golf course!
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