Declan Rice decision made as £265k-a-week player drops out: Arsenal predicted XI v Sporting

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Arsenal made a bright return to action after the international break and will look to maintain their momentum when they take on Sporting CP in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Gunners were superb on their return to Premier League action at the weekend as they ran out 3-0 winners over Nottingham Forest.

Now, Arsenal will look to also bounce back in the Champions League and make amends for their 1-0 loss to Inter Milan just before the international break.

TBR Football looks at who Mikel Arteta could name in his starting XI for the meeting with the Lions at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

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Arsenal team news v Sporting CP

Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli sat out Arsenal's win over Nottingham Forest but could all come into contention against Sporting.

Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain on the sidelines due to knee issues, while Kieran Tierney is building up his fitness after returning to training last week.

Several youth team players were spotted in training ahead of the trip to Lisbon, including defender Zane Monlouis.

Declan Rice tipped to return for Arsenal as Gabriel Jesus could drop out of XI

Arteta is unlikely to make too many changes in such a big game, but a few could be on the cards.

Arsenal’s back line will probably stay the same, with David Raya in goal, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes at centre-back, and Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori at full-back.

Midfield could see some changes, with Declan Rice potentially coming back in after being an unused substitute against Forest at the weekend.

Rice has been struggling with a broken toe and missed England's Nations League wins over Greece and the Republic of Ireland earlier this month as a result.

Likewise, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli were not called upon against Forest, so Arteta could look to start both now they’ve had more rest.

The return of Rice, Havertz and Martinelli could see Jorginho, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus drop out of the starting XI.

The £265,000-a-week striker wasn’t bad against Forest, working hard off the ball and linking play up well, but he didn’t offer too much in terms of goalscoring threats.

Elsewhere, the likes of Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka seem likely to remain in the starting XI.

Arsenal predicted XI v Sporting CP (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Rice, Merino; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli