The madness of the transfer window is only half way down but clubs in England are now getting ready already for the new campaign. London biggies Arsenal and Chelsea will have an early start to their season as they face off in Wembley for the Community Shield this Sunday.
Arsenal won four of their six pre-season games, lifting the Emirates Cup recently and Arsene Wenger will look to make a solid start to his new campaign with a victory at Wembley this weekend.
The Gunners will take a decision on Alexis Sanchez late in the week as he came back late from his holiday and then picked up a flu. Playmaker Mesut Ozil missed training recently but he is expected to shake off an ankle problem and could start this game for Arsenal. Sead Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette are available for selection while Aaron Ramsey and Shkodran Mustafi are expected to be fit for this tie. Midfielder Francis Coquelin however, might miss out through an injury.
The first choice shot stopper for Arsenal, Cech should keep his place in the first team ahead of the brilliant David Ospina.
The English defender was excellent last season and impressed in the pre-season as well. Wenger will want to push him into action straight away. Eventually though, Monreal might take over.
The French centre-back is expected to play at the heart of the Arsenal defence this season and this game will be a good test for him, coming back from a vacation.
The German defender picked up a niggle recently but is expected to be fit for this tie and should complete the backline for Arsenal.
Kieran Gibbs will both be pushed on to the bench this season with Kolasinac expected to be the first choice left-back and left-wing back for Arsenal. Once again, Nacho Monreal is an option here.
The Swiss international did no harm to his reputation in the pre-season and as expected, he should be the first-choice midfielder for Wenger this season and for this game as well.
Also back from an injury recently, Ramsey should start alongside Xhaka in this tie, mainly due to the lack of better options for Wenger at the moment.
Though Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was preferred in that role in the pre-season and late last season, Bellerin is back to full fitness and should start in this position.
The French striker will officially play his first game in an Arsenal shirt at Wembley and the whole stage is set perfectly for him to start writing his fairy tale.
Olivier Giroud is highly underrated and with Sanchez being a doubt, Wenger might prefer using Lacazette on the wing and Giroud up front, just as he did in the pre-season games.
The German playmaker will have to make a statement right from the start this season and this Community Shield game against Chelsea could be the best chance for him to do so. He should start on the right-hand side of the attack.
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