Team News: Arsenal v Leicester Premier League opener

The curtain will rise on the 2017/18 Premier League season on Friday night as Arsenal and Leicester City play the first fixture of what is one of the most highly anticipated campaigns for many years. 

Arsenal missed out on a top four finish last season and will be determined to come back stronger. Arsene Wenger faced much criticism from large groups of Arsenal fans but still saw his stay at The Emirates extended. Alexandre Lacazette has been brought in to The Gunners' attack, whilst Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil remain at the club, for now at least. 

It was a season of two halves last season for Leicester City. The defending Premier League champions found themselves caught up in a relegation battle before Craig Shakespeare rejuvenated the squad when he was appointed as caretaker manager. Shakespeare has now been permanently appointed and he will be determined to prove that Leicester can compete in the top half of the Premier League again. 

Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac are given their Premier League debuts for the opener, as Arsenal line up with a three man defence. Mesut Ozil and Danny Welbeck will operate in attacking positions around Lacazette. 

For Leicester, it is quite a familiar looking starting eleven. Danny Drinkwater misses out through injury, seeing Matty James come in for him, whilst summer signing Harry Maguire is set for his Leicester debut. Kelechi Iheanacho will begin on the bench but can provide a lot as an impact substitute later in the game. 

Arsenal: Cech, Holding, Monreal, Kolasinac, Bellerin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Xhaka, Elneny, Ozil, Welbeck, Lacazette. 

Substitutes: Ospina, Mustafi, Coquelin, Ramsey, Iwobi, Walcott, Giroud

Leicester City: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Maguire, Fuchs, Mahrez, Ndidi, James, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy

Substitutes: Hamer, Chilwell, Amartey, King, Gray, Slimani, Iheanacho

 

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