Match Build Up: Eze Starts But Rice Benched for Arsenal, Postecoglou's First Forest Team
Nottingham Forest's trip to Arsenal kicks off at 12:30pm BST on Saturday 13 September at the Emirates Stadium in London.
Arsenal host Nottingham Forest as the Premier League returns following the conclusion of the international break.
Mikel Arteta’s side aim to keep their title ambitions thriving with a strong outing at the Emirates Stadium as they look to reduce the gap to league leaders Liverpool before Arne Slot’s champions play on Sunday.
Postecoglou returns to the top flight just four months after being sacked by Tottenham despite ending the north London club’s 17-year wait for a trophy by winning the Europa League last season.
The 60-year-old has spoken about bringing his attacking philosophy to Forest but also his desire to restore them to “their rightful place” in the football hierarchy.
Eberechi Eze makes home debut as Declan Rice on the bench
A home debut for Eberechi Eze, following his first appearance for Arsenal off the bench away at Liverpool two weeks ago.
Eze joins Noni Madueke and Victor Gyokeres in the front-line, while Mikel Merino comes into midfield for Declan Rice, who is rested ahead of the trip to Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday. Captain Martin Odegaard returns to the starting line-up following injury, too.
Read Also: EPL Predictions: Mohammed Kudus to Take Centre Stage for Spurs on West Ham Return
In defence, Cristhian Mosquera starts alongside Gabriel. William Saliba is not in the squad. Neither is Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal face a Forest side that will bring an unpredictable quality to the game after the club dismissed former manager Nuno Espirito Santo and replaced him with Ange Postecoglou during the break.
As mentioned, it's a full debut for Eberechi Eze but there is no place for Declan Rice in Arsenal's starting line-up, with the midfielder settling for a place on the bench.
William Saliba is not in the matchday squad as he's still recovering from injury.
Arsenal starting XI: Raya, Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Merino, Odegaard, Eze, Madueke, Gyokeres
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Hincapie, White, Martinelli, Trossard, Nwaneri, Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman
Douglas Luiz, a summer signing from Juventus, is on the bench for Forest as the Brazilian looks for his first minutes in a Forest shirt.
Nottingham Forest starting XI: Sels, Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Morato, Anderson, Sangare, Gibbs-White, Ndoye, Hudson-Odoi, Wood
Subs: Victor, McAtee, Hutchinson, Boly, Luiz, Kalimuendo, Bakwa, Savona, Yates
