[4-2-3-1]: Gyokeres debut, Eze start from bench, Zubimendi replaced Odegaard- Arsenal’s predicted lineups vs Tottenham Hotspur as Mikel Arteta confirms new position for Mikel Merino due to the arrival of Martin Zubimendi
Arsenal and Tottenham take the north London derby to Asia on Thursday when they face off at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park.
Spurs are beginning a new era under Thomas Frank, having elected to replace Ange Postecoglou as head coach.
Last season’s cathartic Europa League triumph could not disguise the wretched nature of a 16th-place Premier League finish that ultimately cost Postecoglou his job. Frank’s work at Brentford won widespread plaudits, but Tottenham has been a graveyard for highly regarded coaches before.
Opposite number Mikel Arteta enters the season under greater scrutiny than at any time since his tricky first year in charge of Arsenal. Despite reaching the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League and coming in second to Liverpool in the Premier League, there were hints of stagnation and regression in a squad built to Arteta’s specifications.
One new signing in particular could go a long way to extinguishing those doubts if he hits the ground running.
Arsenal vs. Tottenham predicted lineups, team news
All eyes will be on whether Viktor Gyokores makes his eagerly awaited Arsenal debut, with plenty of Gunners fans believing the prolific arrival from Sporting CP can be the final piece in the puzzle for a team that has finished as runners-up in each of the past three Premier League seasons.
Defenders Gabriel and Jurrien Timber could be fit to take part after recovering from the surgeries that curtailed their 2024/25 campaigns, although they’re most likely to feature from the bench as another new arrival, Cristhian Mosquera, partners William Saliba at centre-back.
Riccardo Calafiori is a doubt after tweaking his knee during the opening tour victory over Newcastle, when 15-year-old winger Max Dowman caught the eye. Gabriel Jesus remains sidelined as he recovers from ACL surgery.
Arsenal predicted lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Kepa (GK) — White, Saliba, Mosquera, Zinchenko — Havertz, Zubimendi, Rice — Saka, Gyokores, Martinelli
Injured: Calafiori (doubt), Jesus
All of Bryan Gil, Manor Solomon, Dejan Kulusevski, Radu Dragusin, Destiny Udogie and new signing Kota Takai were not fit enough to travel with the Tottenham squad.
Headline new arrival Mohammed Kudus is likely to be involved alongside Son Heung-min, despite the long-serving captain being heavily linked with a move to LAFC.
Youth team graduates Mikey Moore, Dane Scarlett and Alfie Devine were omitted from the travelling party as Spurs seek to find loan destinations for the upcoming season.
Tottenham predicted lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Vicario (GK) — Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence — Maddison, Bentancur, Sarr — Kudus, Solanke, Son
Injured: Gill, Solomon, Kulusevski, Dragusin, Udogie, Takai
