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Mikel Arteta raised a few eyebrows with his team selection for Arsenal's Champions League curtain-raiser against Napoli on Wednesday.
The Gunners traveled to Italy just days after maintaining their flawless start to the 2026–27 season with a 2–1 comeback win over Chelsea at the weekend. The reigning Premier League champions will look to carry their momentum into the Champions League, though several familiar faces will be absent from the starting XI at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Arteta rang four changes from the side that claimed all three points against the Blues on Sunday. Kai Havertz was dropped up front in favor of Viktor Gyökeres, while Eberechi Eze came in for Christos Tzolis on the left wing.
In the middle of the park, Mikel Merino earned a starting berth alongside Declan Rice, pushing Myles Lewis-Skelly to the bench, where Bruno Guimarães also sits due to fitness issues. The fourth change sees Arteta opt for Piero Hincapié over Riccardo Calafiori on the left side of defense.
All four players coming into the side will be making their first starts of the campaign.
Arsenal Confirmed Lineup vs. Napoli
Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Hincapié; Rice, Merino; Saka, Ødegaard, Eze; Gyökeres.
Substitutes: Illan Meslier (GK), Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Marli Salmon, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Riccardo Calafiori, Bruno Guimarães, Martín Zubimendi, Max Dowman, Christos Tzolis, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke.
Arteta's Changes Come With Risks
Arsenal have hit the ground running this season. While Arteta's formidable defensive unit typically draws the most praise, Havertz's remarkable form has been a key factor behind the Gunners' four wins from four matches.
The German has netted three goals across his four starts, finding the net against Manchester City in the Community Shield, and subsequently against Coventry City and Chelsea in the Premier League. Now, Havertz will watch proceedings from the bench as an out-of-sorts Gyökeres attempts to lead the attack.
It's a considerable risk from Arteta to hand the Swede a start in such a high-stakes Champions League fixture. Gyökeres has managed just 27 minutes of action this season and looked unconvincing in both of his brief outings. He must now front the attack in an intimidating atmosphere on a European stage.
Gyökeres will be supported by Eze, who will be eager to make amends in the Champions League after squandering a penalty in last season's final against Paris Saint-Germain. He too has failed to impress in his limited appearances this term, while Tzolis already has three assists to his name.
Eze won't be able to count on Calafiori down the left flank. The Italy international, who has enjoyed a brilliant start to the season, earns his first breather of the campaign as the more defensively disciplined Hincapié steps in.
Then there's Merino. The Spaniard slots into his natural role after spending much of last season deployed as a makeshift striker, though his selection keeps high-profile summer arrival Guimarães on the sidelines. It raises concerns that the knock the Brazilian picked up against Aston Villa may be more serious than first suggested.