How Arsenal could line up against Porto

The Gunners will definitely travel to the Iberian Peninsula without ACL victim Jurrien Timber, although the Dutchman has been named in the squad for the knockout stages.

In addition, Gabriel Jesus (knee), Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knock) all sat out the 5-0 battering of Burnley on Saturday, and Arteta has refused to give any further detail on the severity of their concerns.

Thomas Partey (thigh) and ex-Porto man Fabio Vieira (groin) are in the final stages of their recovery from operations, though, and both men are thought to be in contention to make their competitive comebacks on Wednesday.

However, the midfield duo will almost certainly be named on the bench, as following successive Premier League away wins by an aggregate score of 11-0, Arteta has no reason to disrupt the harmony.

Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Jakub Kiwior should form the defensive wall in front of David Raya, although Kiwior's spot may come under some threat if Zinchenko and Tomiyasu are back in the fold.

Kai Havertz's well-taken goal at Turf Moor means that the German has surely played his way into a start alongside Declan Rice and the red-hot Martin Odegaard, while Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli will endeavour to run a 40-year-old Pepe ragged.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli