Arsenal vs. Man City confirmed lineups: Saka, Odegaard, Saliba, Stones decisions made for Premier League clash

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is named on the substitutes' bench for this afternoon’s Premier League clash against Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium. 

Saka has missed the Gunners’ last four matches across all competitions with a hamstring injury, but he returned to full training earlier this week and has been passed fit to return to the matchday squad.

Captain Martin Odegaard was hopeful of making a comeback this afternoon after sharing an update on his recovery from a shoulder injury, but the game against City will come too soon for the Norwegian.

However, head coach Mikel Arteta is able to call upon William Saliba from the start; the defender was taken off early in the 1-0 loss at Liverpool before the international break, but the Frenchman is back in the first XI after sitting out of the last two games.

Saliba comes in for Cristhian Mosquera to partner Gabriel Magalhaes at centre-back, while the only other change made to Arteta’s starting lineup following the 2-0 Champions League win at Athletic Bilbao is that Leandro Trossard has replaced Eberechi Eze, after contributing with a goal and an assist from the bench in Spain.

Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber both continue at full-back, while Declan Rice, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi - who scored twice in a 3-0 PL home win over Nottingham Forest last weekend - all retain their places in midfield.

Noni Madueke takes up the right-wing spot once again in Saka’s absence from the first XI, and he is joined in the front three by Trossard and Viktor Gyokeres.

Meanwhile, defender Ben White is fit to return to matchday squad and will begin as a substitute along with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Christian Norgaard, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

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Stones fit to make the bench as Guardiola names unchanged Man City XI

As for Man City, Pep Guardiola has uncharacteristically named an unchanged starting lineup for the third successive game.

The Citizens, who beat 10-man Napoli 2-0 in the Champions League on Thursday, will begin with a back four of Abdukodir Khusanov, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol - making his 100th appearance for the club - and Nico O’Reilly, protecting goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

John Stones, meanwhile, is fit to return to the substitutes’ bench after missing the previous two matches with a minor muscle complaint.

In midfield, captain Bernardo Silva will once again link up with Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders, though the former could operate more on the right flank to allow Phil Foden to play in his favoured central role.

Jeremy Doku will begin on the left side of attack and in-form talisman Erling Haaland, who has scored five goals in just four Premier League games so far this season, will continue to lead the line.

Arsenal starting lineup: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Zubimendi, Merino; Madueke, Gyokeres, Trossard

Subs: Kepa, Mosquera, White, Saka, Eze, Martinelli, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly

Manchester City starting lineup: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Bernardo, Rodri, Reijnders; Foden, Haaland, Doku

Subs: Trafford, Stones, Ake, Nico, Savinho, Nunes, Bobb, Mukasa, Lewis