Arsenal lineup vs. Preston: Predicted XI for EFL Cup last-16 clash

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta will be expected to ring the changes for Wednesday's EFL Cup last-16 contest versus Preston North End at Deepdale.

The Gunners arrive at the home of their Championship counterparts with two new defensive concerns, as both Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber were forced off in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.

The pair are not nursing anything severe, but for the time being, they join Riccardo Calafiori (knee), Martin Odegaard (ankle), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and Kieran Tierney (hamstring) in the treatment room.

Arteta cannot call upon cup-tied goalkeeper Neto either, and the Brazilian's absence for the 5-1 win over Bolton Wanderers allowed 16-year-old Jack Porter to make history as Arsenal's youngest starter of all time.

However, Porter should now make way for another teenage debutant, as summer signing Tommy Setford was not available for the visit of the Trotters due to injury but should now be given his Gunners baptism.

The 18-year-old could be protected by a makeshift defence comprising two other youth products in Myles Lewis-Skelly and Josh Nichols, as well as Jakub Kiwior and William Saliba, now back from a one-game ban.

Ethan Nwaneri - who scored twice against Bolton - is also a surefire starter in the middle alongside Jorginho and Declan Rice, but if the latter needs a break, Arteta could move Lewis-Skelly into a central area and promote Oleksandr Zinchenko to left-back.

Changes are also afoot up front, where Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling should replace Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, but Gabriel Martinelli may hold his place as he seeks a confidence-boosting goal.

Arsenal possible starting lineup: Setford; Nichols, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Jorginho, Rice; Sterling, Jesus, Martinelli

> Click here to see how Preston could line up for this clash