Calafiori hoping to make his competitive debut (Picture: Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Arsenal kick off their Premier League campaign against Wolves on Saturday with Mikel Arteta’s side out to lay down an immediate marker in the title race.
The Gunners have a relatively clean bill of health having ended their pre-season campaign in impressive fashion with dominant wins over Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon.
Jurrien Timber missed both those games, sparking fresh injury fears after missing almost his entire first season at the club.
The Netherlands international suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury on the first day of the 2023-24 campaign against Nottingham Forest, only returning on the final day against Everton in May.
Timber was struggling with a foot problem, ruling him out of those final pre-season games, but the former Ajax star had been expected to return to training this week.
Takehiro Tomiyasu meanwhile missed the pre-season tour of the US due to a knee problem with Arteta revealing last weekend the versatile defender is a number of weeks away from his return.
Arsenal fans got their first glimpse of summer signing Riccardo Calafiori against Lyon, with the Italy international playing the final 25 minutes.
Calafiori hoping to make his competitive debut (Picture: Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Calafiori will be hoping to make his competitve debut on Saturday after getting his first minutes in the 2-0 win over Lyon.
But Arteta may opt for Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back, having named the Ukrainian in a settled back for alongside Ben White, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes in their final pre-season games.
With Calafiori the only new addition, the rest of Arsenal’s starting XI will resemble the one that pushed City all the way last term with Kai Havertz finishing the season as Arteta’s preferred option up top.
Metro’s predicted starting XI.
Predicted Arsenal starting XI vs Wolves
Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Where to watch Arsenal vs Wolves? Kick-off time and TV channel
Arsenal vs Wolves kicks off at 3pm on Saturday August 17.
The match is not available to watch in the UK.
Arsenal news, exclusives and analysis
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