Arsenal will be back in Champions League action against Sporting CP on Tuesday evening.
Mikel Arteta’s side will travel to Portugal to take on Sporting CP, and will have to be ready for a stern test in this fixture.
Arsenal transfer target Viktor Gyokeres will pose a real threat to the Gunners’ defence, as the Swedish striker has been in sensational form so far this season. The 26-year-old bagged a hat-trick against Manchester City last time out in the competition.
However, the North London club will be going into this game on a high and full of confidence themselves, having dispatched Nottingham Forest in a comfortable 3-0 Premier League victory on Saturday.
Arsenal injury news ahead of Sporting CP clash
Arteta has a healthy complement of players to choose from when it comes to selecting his team for this encounter. Given Arsenal endured an injury crisis earlier this season, the manager will be relieved to find himself in such a position.
However, Declan Rice will be unlikely to start, having been benched against Nottingham Forest due to the injury which saw him remain in North London throughout the recent international break.
Meanwhile, Takehiro Tomiyasu is still out of action. Ben White has undergone surgery, and will also be unavailable for selection on Tuesday.
Kieran Tierney makes shock Champions League return
Were it not for an injury sustained at Euro 2024, Kieran Tierney would almost certainly have left Arsenal in the recent summer transfer window. It seemed clear that there was no place for the left-back in Arteta’s plans.
However, in a surprise twist, the Scottish defender has been included in the travelling squad for this Champions League trip.
It is almost certain that he won’t start, and it remains to be seen if he will make it onto the pitch at any point at all. However, there is an argument that Tierney deserves another chance at Arsenal, and this development would suggest that Arteta is open to granting him that opportunity.
Ethan Nwaneri in predicted Arsenal XI vs Sporting CP
Martin Odegaard wowed Arsenal fans against Nottingham Forest. However, as the club captain has only recently returned from injury, Arteta must still handle him with care.
As Arsenal have already qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League, there is no need to take an unnecessary risk by starting the Norwegian playmaker against Sporting CP.
This opens up an opportunity for Ethan Nwaneri to step into the starting XI, having opened his goalscoring account in the Premier League at the weekend.
The Hale End academy wonderkid has shown that he can shine at the highest level, and deserves the opportunity to strut his stuff on the European stage.
David Raya; Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Riccardo Calafiori; Thomas Partey, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino;, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz
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