Mikel Arteta has decided to keep Nicolas Pepe on the bench as Granit Xhaka has dropped out of the squad for his second game as Arsenal head coach.
Reiss Nelson keeps his place ahead of Pepe on the right wing as Matteo Guendouzi replaces the Swiss who is expected to depart for Hertha Berlin in the January transfer window.
Arsenal have stated that Xhaka is missing this afternoon's game due to illness, however, after he also failed to train on the eve of the game.
Other than that, and Calum Chambers coming back into the side, Arteta has stayed with the side that salvaged the 1-1 draw away at Bournemouth on Boxing Day.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Bukayo Saka stay in the full-back positions as David Luiz plays against Chelsea for the first time since leaving in the summer.
Lucas Torreira partners Guendouzi behind Mesut Ozil, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang plays out to the left with Alexandre Lacazette through the middle.
Arteta has also named a very young bench which includes Tyreece John-Jules who is yet to make his Arsenal debut. The impressive youngster was on the bench in the 2-2 draw at Standard Liege but Freddie Ljungberg opted against handing him his debut then.
With links to Xhaka's departure growing more intense, however, Arsenal fans have suspicions as to why he will not be involved this afternoon.
Although Arteta has decided against starting Pepe in his first two games as Arsenal head coach, he has spoken about how he feels he can get the best out of the winger.
"I think it was obviously a big change for him to come here from France," he said in his pre-match press conference .
"He found a team that, at that moment, wasn't performing at their best. The environment for him to settle wasn't ideal. It's not only about him. We are here to help him. If he's willing to learn, if he's willing to work hard, I am sure he has the potential to be top, absolutely top.
"Against Bournemouth he showed in two or three actions how good he can be. But he has to be consistent.
"The problem with the confidence is that the confidence is only good if he plays. If he trains well enough to convince me, then I have confidence in him. There has to be a mix between the two."
Arsenal XI: Leno; Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Luiz, Saka; Torreira, Guendouzi; Nelson, Ozil, Aubameyang; Lacazette
