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Football London
Football London
Sport
James Benge

Confirmed Arsenal XI vs Liverpool: Sead Kolasinac starts as Mikel Arteta changes shape

Mikel Arteta has handed a start to Sead Kolasinac in what appears to be a four man defence as Arsenal take on Liverpool in the EFL Cup.

Arsenal are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over Kolasinac but the Bosnia international travelled with the squad today. But he starts alongside Cedric Soares, Gabriel and Rob Holding in what could see the Gunners deploy a four man defence for the first time this season.

First choice goalkeeper Bernd Leno is preferred to Alex Runarrson whilst there is no place in the squad for William Saliba.

Another young forward, Reiss Nelson, has to settle for a place on the bench with Bukayo Saka playing what would appear to be a left wing role.

Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal: Mikel Arteta press conference

Meanwhile Jurgen Klopp has named a notably stronger XI than he often deploys in this competition with starts for Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Diogo Jota, the latter fresh from scoring his first goal for Liverpool in Monday's win.

Takumi Minamino is another big name player starting for the Reds, who will have former West Ham goalkeeper Adrian between the sticks.

Following on from their loss on Merseyside earlier this week Mikel Arteta was insistent that his side could secure a passage to the quarter-finals in tonight's meeting with the Premier League champions.

"We will come back on Thursday and try to win again," he said.

"I am happy that we competed throughout the game and I think there are a lot of things that we can do better - and we will do better - and that's going to help us so much in the process.

"To play here with character and to play our way and now we just accept that they were better and that they are better at the moment and that we have to improve. This is the level that we have to reach."

Arsenal XI: Arsenal XI: Leno; Cedric, Holding, Gabriel, Kolasinac; Ceballos, Willock, Xhaka; Pepe, Nketiah, Saka

Liverpool XI: Adrian; N Williams, R Williams, Van Dijk, Milner; Grujic, Jones, Wilson; Minamino, Salah, Jota

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