[Teams] Port Vale vs Arsenal: Confirmed line-ups for Carabao Cup clash

Premier League giants Arsenal take on League One Port Vale at Vale Park tonight in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

The Gunners head into the game off the back of Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League. Gabriel Martinelli scored in stoppage time to salvage a point after Erling Haaland had opened the scoring for City early on.

As expected, Mikel Arteta has decided to rotate his squad for tonight’s trip to Port Vale and rest some of his key men ahead of Sunday’s huge clash with Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

Kepa Arrizabalaga gets his first start of the season as he replaces David Raya between the sticks. Myles Lewis-Skelly is also recalled to make his first start of the campaign with Riccardo Calafiori making way at left-back.

Ben White is fit to return at right-back with Jurrien Timber rested while Cristhian Mosquera replaces Gabriel Magalhaes in the middle of Arsenal’s back four. William Saliba keeps his place.

Christian Norgaard makes his full competitive debut for the Gunners following his summer move from Brentford. Martin Zubimendi makes way as does Declan Rice with Mikel Merino starting in midfield.

Ethan Nwaneri is recalled to start in the attacking midfield role while Eberechi Eze is back in the side on the left wing. Martinelli is rewarded for his heroics off the bench lately as the Brazilian international is handed a start up front.

Noni Madueke has been ruled out for up to 2 months after picking up a knee injury against City at the weekend. Bukayo Saka is recalled to start on the right after coming on at half-time on Sunday having recovered from a hamstring injury.

15-year-old Max Dowman is among the substitutes along with Leandro Trossard and Viktor Gyokeres.

Here are the confirmed line-ups:

Port Vale

Gauci; Humphreys, Debrah, Headly; Gabriel, Croasdale, Walters, Paton, G.Hall; C.Hall, Curtis

Subs: Marosi, Clark, Heneghan, Byers, Garrity, Stockley, Ojo, Faal, Cole.

Arsenal

Kepa, White, Saliba, Mosquera, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Merino, Nwaneri, Saka, Martinelli, Eze

Subs: Raya, Gabriel, Timber, Gyokeres, Trossard, Zubimendi, Calafiori, Rice, Dowman