Arsenal will be without one of this season’s most creative players as they travel to Stoke City looking to take back the table’s top spot, live on NBCSN at 11:15 a.m. ET or live online at NBC Sports Live Extra.
Mesut Ozil has been left out of the squad with what Arsenal is calling a “slight foot injury.” He has been replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who will have an opportunity to play a full 90 minutes for just the third time this season. Alexis Sanchez is also still out, struggling with a hamstring injury since November but reportedly nearing a return. New Arsenal signing Mohamed Elneny is on the bench looking to make his Gunners debut.
[ WATCH LIVE: Stoke City vs Arsenal live online at NBC Sports Live Extra ]
Marko Arnautovic is fit for Stoke City and is in the starting lineup despite suffering a small hamstring injury during training. Since missing the opening match of the season, Arnautovic has logged minutes in every single Premier League match. Phil Bardsley and Steven Ireland are both still out with injuries, and Xherdan Shaqiri misses out for the second straight match.
LINEUPS
Stoke City: Butland; Johnson, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters, Whelan, Afellay; Walters, Bojan, Arnautovic; Joselu.
Subs: Haugaard, Muniesa, Odemwingie, Van Ginkel, Adam, Diouf, Crouch
Arsenal: Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Ksocielny, Monreal; Ramsey, Flamini; Campbell, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott; Giroud.
Subs: Ospina, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs, Arteta, Elneny, Iwobi.