Confirmed Team News: Fulham vs Arsenal
The 2020/21 Premier League season gets underway with the Fulham vs Arsenal fixture in today’s lunchtime kick-off. Here’s the confirmed team news.
Fulham team to play Arsenal
Fresh start, similar XI! 👊
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) September 12, 2020
Your Fulham team for the @premierleague opener!#FULARS pic.twitter.com/Wy9pOR017d
Fulham boss Scott Parker largely keeps faith with the side that earned promotion last season.
Marek Rodak keeps his place in goal, so France international Alphonse Areola has to settle for a place on the bench after joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
New arrival Mario Lemina is not in the squad.
Starting XI: Rodak, Ream, Hector, Odoi, Bryan, Onomah, Cairney, Reed, Kebano, Cavaleiro, Kamara
Arsenal team to play Fulham
📋 Team news for our first @PremierLeague game of the season!
🇧🇷 @biel_m04 makes his debut
🇬🇧 @RobHolding95 and @KieranTierney1 both in defence
🇧🇷 There's also a debut for Willian
#️⃣ #FULARS— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 12, 2020
Arsenal hand debuts to Brazilian duo Gabriel Magalhaes and Willian.
William Saliba, who had been tipped to start ahead of Gabriel, is absent from the matchday squad.
Goalkeeper Emi Martinez, who is expected to complete a transfer away from the club next week, is also missing from the squad. Bernd Leno starts, with Matt Macey on the bench.
Dani Ceballos is also among the substitutes after rejoining the Gunners for a second season-long loan from Real Madrid.
David Luiz (neck) is missing due to the injury he sustained in the Community Shield. There are four changes to the side that started at Wembley.
Leno, Gabriel, Willian and Alexandre Lacazette replace Martinez, Luiz, Bukayo Sako and Eddie Nketiah.
Starting XI: Leno, Bellerin, Gabriel, Holding, Tierney, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Xhaka, Willian, Aubameyang, Lacazette
