[Teams] Brentford vs Arsenal: Confirmed line-ups from the Brentford Community Stadium

The 2021/22 Premier League season gets underway this evening as newly-promoted Brentford take on Arsenal at the Brentford Community Stadium.

Mikel Arteta has been handed a huge double blow ahead of the game as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette are ruled out due to illness. Eddie Nketiah is still injured so youngster Folarin Balogun makes his full debut up front for Arsenal.

Ben White also makes his competitive debut having arrived in a £50m deal from Brighton this summer while fellow summer signing Albert Sambi Lokonga is also handed his bow in midfield. Thomas Partey is out injured so Granit Xhaka starts alongside Lokonga in midfield with Mohamed Elneny on the bench.

Gabriel Martinelli is deemed fit enough to start for the Gunners but Bukayo Saka is only named among the substitutes. Emile Smith Rowe and Nicolas Pepe are handed starts for Arsenal while Reiss Nelson is on the bench but Willian isn’t named in the squad.

Gabriel is ruled out through injury while Rob Holding is only fit enough for a place on the bench so Pablo Mari starts alongside White. Kieran Tierney starts at left-back for Arsenal and Calum Chambers is preferred to Hector Bellerin at right-back.

Here are the confirmed line-ups:

Brentford

Raya, Ajer, Jansson, Pinnock, Henry, Janelt, Onyeka, Mbeumo, Norgaard, Canos, Toney

Subs: Goode, Forss, Wissa, Gunnarsson, Ghoddos, Dervisoglu, Bidstrup, Sorensen, Roerslev

Arsenal

Leno; Chambers, White, Mari, Tierney; Xhaka, Sambi; Pepe, Smith Rowe, Martinelli; Balogun

Subs: Bellerin, Saka, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Cedric, Tavares, Nelson, Elneny, Hein