Arsenal make five changes as Saka and Ødegaard drop out against Nottingham

Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard are out of Arsenal’s starting XI for the trip to Nottingham, with Mikel Arteta’s side making five changes from their last league match against Leeds United.

Bruno Guimarães, Eberechi Eze, Jurriën Timber, Mikel Merino and Viktor Gyökeres come into the side. Ben White, Saka, Kai Havertz, Ødegaard and Riccardo Calafiori make way. White is unavailable with a knee injury; William Saliba, Christos Tzolis and Piero Hincapie are also unavailable.

Arsenal line up in a 4-2-3-1: David Raya in goal, with Timber, Ezri Konsa, Gabriel Magalhães and Myles Lewis-Skelly in defence. Declan Rice and Guimarães form the midfield pairing, behind Noni Madueke, Merino and Eze, with Gyökeres leading the attack.

The changes leave Arsenal without two of the players who started their previous league game in Saka and Ødegaard, while Gyökeres, Eze and Guimarães are all in the starting lineup. Timber and Merino are the other two additions. Arsenal start the match second in the Premier League, on 15 points from six games.

Nottingham name an unchanged team from their last league match, against Crystal Palace. Morgan Gibbs-White starts despite being listed as doubtful. Their XI is Matz Sels; Ola Aina, Ousmane Diomande, Murillo; Daniel Muñoz, Xaver Schlager, James McAtee, Neco Williams; Gibbs-White, Dan Ndoye; and Liam Delap. Callum Hudson-Odoi, Igor Jesus, Nicolo Savona and Willy Boly are unavailable.

Nottingham begin the match 17th with five points. They host Arsenal on Sunday, with kick-off at 16:30 BST. Arsenal’s five changes and the absence of Saka and Ødegaard are the main shifts from the previous league outing; Nottingham have kept the same starting XI.