Arsenal continues its preparations to defend the Premier League title with a friendly match against Real Betis.
Manager Mikel Arteta is still welcoming back players who were on international duty during the World Cup.
With less than two weeks until the Community Shield clash against Manchester City, a crucial test against the La Liga team Betis is on the horizon.
Confidence is riding high after a convincing 4-1 victory over Girona, featuring goals from Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Max Dowman, and Christos Tzolis.
Here’s how Arteta’s team is expected to line up and how you can follow the Gunners as they prepare for the Community Shield and their Premier League opener against Coventry on Friday, August 21:
The pre-season friendly against Real Betis will kick off at 7:30 PM BST on Wednesday, August 5, at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
How can I watch it?
Due to technical difficulties during the Girona friendly streamed on Arsenal’s site and app, the match with Real Betis will not be available on those platforms. Supporters who purchased access to the Girona match or the entire pre-season bundle are eligible for a full refund, which you can find more about here.
Tonight’s game will be aired live on Premier Sports 1, and UK viewers can access a Premier Sports discount using the code: ARSENAL. This offer applies only to the standard monthly subscription priced at £17.99, allowing three months for just £9.99 total, billed at £3.33 per month. The subscription will auto-renew monthly at £17.99 after the initial three-month period.
Additionally, you can follow the match live via The Independent’s minute-by-minute live blog.
Gabriel Jesus scored for Arsenal against Girona (Getty)
Team News
Mikel Arteta has chosen to maintain the same starting XI from the 4-1 triumph over Girona. This includes new signing Christos Tzolis, who scored in that match, alongside young players Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman in midfield.
Arteta substituted Piero Hincapie, Kai Havertz, and Viktor Gyokeres after 30 minutes against Girona as they build up their match fitness. It will be intriguing to see if they get an extended opportunity tonight.
Ben White also completed 60 minutes without issue in his return from injury; will he be given a full 90 minutes in Dublin?
The bench includes notable names, particularly Brazilian players Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli, who is making his pre-season debut after returning from a post-World Cup break.
Arsenal Confirmed Line-Up
Arsenal XI: Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori; Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, Havertz; Dowman, Gyokeres, Tzolis