Arsenal have been boosted by the return of Oleksandr Zinchenko to their squad for tonight’s clash with Crystal Palace.
Zinchenko has not played since last season due to a calf issue but makes the bench named by Mikel Arteta, who has confirmed that Jurrien Timber is likely to miss the entire season after suffering a serious knee injury.
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New signing Timber started at left-back on his top-flight debut against Nottingham Forest and Takehiro Tomiyasu is favoured to replace him after being chosen as his substitute last weekend.
Arteta said in the build-up: “Alex [Zinchenko] is doing very well, he’s been training with us and hopefully we’re going to have him available very, very soon.”
Asked whether Timber’s injury is an opportunity for Kieran Tierney, Arteta said: “It’s an opportunity for everybody. We’re going to need everybody, and everybody is going to be important. The numbers that we have in the squad, especially in those positions are more limited now, so everybody has to be ready.”
However, Tierney is not even on the bench for this game with Aaron Ramsdale in goal, meaning David Raya will have to wait for his debut.
Arsenal XI: Ramsdale; Partey, White, Saliba, Tomiyasu; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli
Subs: Raya, Zinchenko, Kiwior, Gabriel, Jorginho, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Vieira, Trossard
Injuries: Gabriel Jesus, Timber, Balogun, Elneny, Lokonga
Doubts: Zinchenko, Nelson
Time and date: 8pm BST on Monday August 21, 2023
Venue: Selhurst Park
