Arsenal begin their Premier League campaign against Wolves on Saturday, with Mikel Arteta’s side looking to put down an early flag in the championship chase.
The Gunners have a reasonably clean slate, having finished their pre-season campaign with emphatic victories against Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon.
Jurrien Timber missed both of those games, raising further injury concerns after missing nearly his entire debut season with the club.
The Netherlands international sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury on the opening day of the 2023-24 season against Nottingham Forest, and he finally returned on the last day against Everton in May.
Timber was struggling with a foot problem, ruling him out of those final pre-season games, but the former Ajax star had been expected to return to training this week.
Takehiro Tomiyasu meanwhile missed the pre-season tour of the US due to a knee problem with Arteta revealing last weekend the versatile defender is a number of weeks away from his return.
Arsenal fans got their first glimpse of summer signing Riccardo Calafiori against Lyon, with the Italy international playing the final 25 minutes.
Calafiori will be hoping to make his competitve debut on Saturday after getting his first minutes in the 2-0 win over Lyon.
But Arteta may opt for Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back, having named the Ukrainian in a settled back for alongside Ben White, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes in their final pre-season games.
With Calafiori the only new addition, the rest of Arsenal’s starting XI will resemble the one that pushed City all the way last term with Kai Havertz finishing the season as Arteta’s preferred option up top.
Predicted Arsenal starting XI vs Wolves
Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Where to watch Arsenal vs Wolves? Kick-off time and TV channel
Arsenal vs Wolves kicks off at 3pm on Saturday August 17.
The match is not available to watch in the UK.