Arsenal lineup vs. Kairat: Predicted XI for Champions League clash as Mikel Arteta makes nine changes

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta may have to work around four injuries and two suspensions for Wednesday's Champions League league-phase showdown with Kairat at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners confirmed their place in the last 16 with a merited 3-1 win over Inter Milan at San Siro last week, and a point on matchday eight will be enough to guarantee top spot over Bayern Munich.

Victory is still of paramount importance to Arsenal after Sunday's agonising 3-2 Premier League loss to Manchester United, though, and Arteta should not shy away from making multiple changes for the European affair.

However, Mikel Merino and Declan Rice will both miss the contest after collecting their third yellow cards of the UCL season at San Siro, while Riccardo Calafiori (muscle) is a doubt and William Saliba, Jurrien Timber (both knocks) and Max Dowman (ankle) are still sidelined.

Merino and Rice's absences should lead to an immediate recall for Christian Norgaard - absent from the matchday squad against Man Utd - likely with Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze stationed either side of him.

Kai Havertz was also nowhere to be seen on Sunday following reports of a setback in his recovery from a knee injury, which Arteta played down pre-match, but the German is evidently still being carefully managed.

As a result, Wednesday's game may come too soon for Havertz to start, so Viktor Gyokeres could now be restored alongside Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke in a new-look front three.

Further back, Piero Hincapie should be the only defensive starter from the weekend retained - albeit in a central role this time around - as Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Kepa Arrizabalaga earn valuable minutes.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Norgaard, Eze; Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli