Arsenal predicted lineup vs Brentford: White & Sambi debuts?

Forwards

Nicolas Pepe (RW) – Looking sharp, fit and hungry, the Ivorian can do no more having finished last season strongly to prove to Arteta he’s ready for regular top-flight football.

It’s not been a perfect pre-season for Pepe but he has been one of the better performers. He could be up against former Gunner Dominic Thompson at left-back or Ethan Pinnock as the left sided central defender in a back three depending on the system Frank employs.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (ST) – Arteta has shown admirable trust in Aubameyang following on from last season into pre-season, regularly fielding him in the team regardless of form.

Some of that has been out on the left wing but in order to extract every molecule of Aubameyang’s ability, he has to be playing through the middle. This could be a fixture where he doesn’t touch the ball for 60 minutes, but all will be forgiven he if pop up and one goes in off his left buttock. He just needs that goal.

Bukayo Saka (LW) – Already? Yes, already.

Even after the season and summer he’s had, as soon as Saka took to the pitch against Spurs the rest of the players noticeably lifted their games. Brilliant footballers make other footballers better. Whether its infectious, subconscious or the byproduct of them demanding the ball and feeding others in the right zones, it’s something Saka does.

Lacking sharpness in the final third, Arsenal are a wooden spoon without Saka. If he’s fit, and he appears to be, you play him. It wouldn’t be any surprise at all for Arteta to get him in from the start.