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Football London
Football London
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Art De Roche

'Make us proud' - Arsenal fans react to Freddie Ljungberg's team selection vs Everton

Freddie Ljungberg has decided to give Arsenal's young guns a chance to shine in his final game as interim head coach with Emile Smith Rowe among the starting XI.

With injuries tormenting the side, however, the Swede has been forced to field Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Bukayo Saka as full-backs. They flank Calum Chambers and David Luiz at centre-back.

The double-pivot of Lucas Torreira and Granit Xhaka returns in midfield but Smith Rowe takes Mesut Ozil's place as the No.10. and makes his first start in the Premier League.

Arsenal's front three consists of Reiss Nelson, Gabriel Martinelli and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as Nicolas Pepe has been dropped to the bench.

Mikel Arteta's first Arsenal press conference in full

Sokratis has dropped out of the squad altogether as Tyreece John-Jules has travelled to to Goodison Park as the side's 19th man.

With so many youngsters involved in Ljungberg's final stand, Arsenal fans are excited to see what can happen but are also unhappy to see Nicolas Pepe drop back to the bench.

Arsenal and Everton's interim managers may be taking charge of the sides today but both sides have their new head coaches in attendance at Goodison Park.

Mikel Arteta arrived separate to the Arsenal side as Carlo Ancelotti was appointed minutes before the starting XI's were announced.

With Ljungberg in the dugout, Arteta's influence on today's match will be minimal as he admitted in his unveiling at the Emirates Stadium.

"We will sit down, grab a coffee or a bowl of coffee, then we will make the decision [over Ljungberg's future]," he said.

"I just said, 'You know them, you've been training with them, do what you feel is right'. I told them a little bit what I wanted from them and that's it."

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