MX23RW : Monday, May 20 10:31:21| >> :60:915:915:
[monks data]
Arsenal logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Sep 28, 2016 at 7.45pm UK
 
Basel

2-0

Walcott (7', 26')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Team News: Granit Xhaka replaces injured Francis Coquelin

Granit Xhaka comes in for the injured Francis Coquelin and Gabriel returns to the bench as Arsenal welcome Basel in the Champions League.

Granit Xhaka has come in for the injured Francis Coquelin as Arsenal welcome Basel to the Emirates in the Champions League tonight.

The summer signing is recalled to the starting lineup to face off against his brother Taulant Xhaka after Coquelin was ruled out for several weeks with a knee injury.

Manager Arsene Wenger makes just one other change from the side that claimed a memorable victory over Chelsea in the Premier League at the weekend, with David Ospina preferred to Petr Cech between the sticks.

Alexis Sanchez, who grabbed a late equaliser for the Gunners in their opening group game at Paris Saint-Germain a fortnight ago, continues to lead the line with support from Alex Iwobi, Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott.

Wenger sticks with the back four that started against Chelsea and the Ligue 1 champions, with Nacho Monreal on the left, Hector Bellerin on the right and Shkodran Mustafi partnering Laurent Koscielny in the heart of the defence.

A notable inclusion on the bench is Gabriel Paulista, who has not featured so far this term after suffering a knee injury in pre-season, while Olivier Giroud misses the clash entirely following his last-gasp red card in the French capital last time out.

For the Swiss Super League champions, manager Urs Fischer makes four alterations to the side that claimed a 3-1 victory at St Gallen over the weekend to make it nine wins from nine league games this season.

All of the alterations come in the attack as Fischer opts for a 5-3-2 formation, with Xhaka dropping down into the backline.

Renato Steffen, who claimed the equaliser in Basel's 1-1 draw with Ludogorets on matchday one, earns a place up front alongside Roma's on-loan forward Seydou Doumbia.

Birkir Bjarnason and Luca Zuffi also come into the XI to join Alexander Fransson in the middle of the park, while Davide Calla, Matias Emilio Delgado, Mohamed Elyounoussi and Andraz Sporar are consigned to the bench.

Arsenal: Ospina; Monreal, Koscielny, Mustafi, Bellerin; Xhaka, Cazorla; Iwobi, Ozil, Walcott; Sanchez
Subs: Cech, Gibbs, Gabriel, Elneny, Reine-Adelaide, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lucas Perez

Basel: Vaclik; Traore, Balanta, Xhaka, Suchy, Lang; Fransson, Zuffi, Bjarnason; Steffen, Doumbia
Subs: Calla, Delgado, Elyounoussi, Gaber, Hoegh, Sporar, Vailati

Keep up with all the action from North London tonight with Sports Mole's live text commentary here.

ID:282205: cacheID:282205:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6349:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Arsene Wenger serves the sass during the Premier League game between Arsenal and Norwich City on April 30, 2016
Read Next:
Wenger: 'All players at the right level'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
QBayern651016
QCopenhagen62228
3Galatasaray61235
4Man Utd61144

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
QArsenal641113
QPSV62319
3Lens62228
4Sevilla60242

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
QReal Madrid660018
QNapoli631210
3Braga61144
4Union Berlin60242

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
QReal Sociedad633012
QInter Milan633012
3Benfica61144
4Salzburg61144

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
QAtletico642014
QLazio631210
3Feyenoord62046
4Celtic61144

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
QDortmund632111
QPSG62228
3AC Milan62228
4Newcastle61235

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
QMan City660018
QRB Leipzig640212
3Young Boys61144
4Red Star60151

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
QBarcelona640212
QPorto640212
3Shakhtar63039
4Antwerp61053


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!