Monday 8 December 2014 23:35, UK
Arsene Wenger has named his Arsenal team to play Galatasaray in Tuesday’s Champions League clash.
Wenger took the unusual step of naming his starting XI in the pre-match press conference on the eve of his side’s Group D tie in Turkey.
The Gunners, who have already qualified to the last 16, headed out to Istanbul after leaving several senior men back in London.
"To make it as simple as possible, I have 11 experienced players and six young field players on the bench. That means I have nothing to hide," said Wenger, whose team must win and then hope Borussia Dortmund lose to finish top of the group.
Arsenal full-back Mathieu Debuchy returns to the squad following three months out with an ankle injury, while goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (hip) comes back into the starting XI.
Hector Bellerin and Calum Chambers will also play, while Lukas Podolski, Yaya Sanogo and Joel Campbell will lead the attack.
Youngsters Stefan O'Connor, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Gedion Zelalem, Glen Kamara, Chuba Akpom and Alex Iwobi have all travelled.
However, Alexis Sanchez (groin), Danny Welbeck (knee), Kieran Gibbs (hip) and Laurent Koscielny (Achilles) all stayed behind.
France striker Olivier Giroud, fit again following a broken foot, is not eligible in Europe until the knockout stages, while captain Mikel Arteta (calf), defender Nacho Monreal (ankle), Theo Walcott (groin), Mesut Ozil (knee), goalkeeper David Ospina (thigh), Abou Diaby (calf) and Jack Wilshere (ankle) remain sidelined.
Wenger added: "The players who needed it stayed behind - like Cazorla, Sanchez, Gibbs - Giroud is not qualified - and Welbeck, who could have travelled but recently had a little knee problem, so took advantage of that to rest him.
"Sanchez had a groin problem for some time, and he has played 27 games.... it is more just the number of repetitive games we have."
Arsenal starting XI: Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Bellerin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Flamini, Ramsey, Campbell, Sanogo, Podolski.
Watch Galatasaray vs Arsenal live on Tuesday on Sky Sports 5 from 19:00
