Premier League 2017-18: Stoke City vs Arsenal team news and playing XI

After playing two left-backs in in a back three in the opening game of the English Premier League season, Arsene Wenger will have the luxury of actually selecting centre-backs to do the job when Arsenal play Stoke City on Saturday.

With a patched-up defence, owing to injuries and suspensions, Arsenal leaked three goals against Leicester, needing a late comeback to pick up all three points in a 4-3 win.

Clearly, the Gunners cannot keep conceding silly goals if they are to make a title challenge this season, and, therefore, the return of two key defenders is a welcome sign.

Per Mertesacker missed the opening game last Friday due to a nasty cut just above his eye, picked up in the Community Shield against Chelsea. The German is back now and available, while Shkodran Mustafi, who was an unused substitute in the opener against Leicester – he was only in the squad because Arsenal were so short on defenders – is also in contention, after getting another full week of training under his belt.

Midfielder Francis Coquelin is another player who returns after missing the first game through injury. Laurent Koscielny, though, is unavailable, as he serves the third of his three-match suspension.

Alexis Sanchez still needs another week to recover from an abdomen problem, while Santi Cazorla is still a few months away from a return. Gabriel is not an Arsenal player anymore, after he was sold to Valencia on Friday.

With a few players returning, there will be changes to the starting lineup of Arsenal. Mertesacker is expected to slot back in, while if Mustafi plays, Rob Holding might have to make way, with Wenger liking Monreal as a left centre-back.

The question then will be if Sead Kolasinac also makes way or if the former Schalke man gets ahead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at left wing-back, with Hector Bellerin keeping his position on the right.

Mohamed Elneny is expected to return to the bench, with Aaron Ramsey likely to slot into the starting XI after coming off the bench to score the crucial equaliser against Leicester.

Olivier Giroud was the match-winner in the game, but the Frenchman is likely to stay on the bench for his compatriot Alexandre Lacazette, who scored on his Premier League debut for Arsenal.

Stoke City had a disappointing start to the season, losing 1-0 to Everton, so they will be extra keen to get their season going with a first home win.

Mark Hughes could give Jese Rodriguez, signed from PSG on a season-long loan, a debut, but Stephen Ireland, Julien Ngoy and Ibrahim Afellay remain on the treatment table.

Expected playing XI:

Stoke City: Butland; Zouma, Shawcross, Martins Indi; Diouf, Allen, Fletcher, Pieters; Shaqiri, Bojan; Crouch.

 

Arsenal: Cech; Holding, Mertesacker, Monreal; Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac; Ozil, Lacazette, Welbeck.