Nurnberg 0-1 Arsenal LIVE: Bukayo Saka opens scoring with trademark left-footed finish as Gunners start well

The Gunners came close to winning the Premier League title last season before losing out to Manchester City and finishing second.

But they'll be aiming to go one step further this campaign and there is no better way to start than with a win in their first game back.

Live updates: talkSPORT website stream HERE, via the app HERE

Arsenal starting XI: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Partey, Trossard, Odegaard, Saka, Nelson, Nketiah

Subs: Hein, Trusty, Cedric, Tierney, Walters, Jorginho, Vieira, Havertz, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, Jesus, Balogun

Nurnberg starting XI: Mathenia, Valentini, Lawrence, Marquez, Brown, Okunki, Moller-Daehli, Geis, Handwerker, Hayashi, Duah

Subs: Klaus, Lohkemper, Goller, Castrop, Hubner, Gyamerah, Daferner, Schleimer, Loune, Gurleyen

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just now

Arsenal 1-0 Nurnberg

18′ - The interchangeability between the Arsenal midfield and defence is something to behold.

Trossard, Nelson and Kiwior are switching positions all the time on the left and Nurnberg don't know who to mark.

2 minutes ago

Arsenal 1-0 Nurnberg

16′ - Just a reminder that if you are just joining us, Odegaard has been replaced in the Gunners' starting XI by Vieira due to a knock.

It's unclear how serious the injury is, but it would be a blow for the Gunners to lose their captain for any period of time.

4 minutes ago

Arsenal 1-0 Nurnberg

14′ - Saka whips the ball into the near post.

Mathenia punches it away as far as Nelson and he lashes a strike past the post, with the goalkeeper stranded.

5 minutes ago

Arsenal 1-0 Nurnberg

13′ - Brilliant move down the right from the Gunners ends with White getting to the byline and drilling a cross into the area.

A defender gets across and it's Saka to take the corner…

7 minutes ago

Arsenal 1-0 Nurnberg

10′ - As expected, Kiwior is playing as an inverted full-back, giving Arsenal four men in midfield when they are on the ball.

This allows Nelson and Saka to stay high and wide and try to attack the box.

9 minutes ago

GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Nurnberg - Bukayo Saka

7′ - STARBOY GETS ON THE SCORESHEET!

The loss of Odegaard doesn't appear to have impacted the Gunners too much and they have the early lead.

It's a trademark Saka goal as he chops in from the right, gets into the box and drills a low strike into the bottom corner from 14 yards.

13 minutes ago

Arsenal 0-0 Nurnberg

18 minutes ago

Arsenal 0-0 Nurnberg - Kick-off

The hosts get us underway kicking from left to right.

However, Odegaard has been replaced by Vieira!

If that's injury-related, that could be a problem.

20 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

Here come the teams!

Arsenal are led out by Gabriel for this one.

22 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

These two played out a 5-3 thriller last year and this is latest in Arsenal's busy pre-season schedule.

July 13: Nurnberg vs Arsenal - Max-Morlock-Stadion, Nuremberg - 7pm UK time

July 20: MLS All-Stars vs Arsenal - Audi Field, Washington DC - 1:30am UK time

July 22: Arsenal vs Manchester United - MetLife Stadium, New York - 10pm UK time

July 26: Arsenal vs Barcelona - SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles - TBC

August 2: Arsenal vs AS Monaco - Emirates Stadium - 6pm

August 6: Man City vs Arsenal - Wembley Stadium, FA Community Shield - 4pm

26 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

The teams are now in the tunnel and should be coming out very soon.

30 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

Just over ten minutes to go until kick-off and the anticipation is building.

After just missing out last year, this really could be a special season for Arsenal.

Plus, the imminent arrivals of Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice will provide some much-needed competition for Thomas Partey and Ben White.

34 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

I think before the transfer window started, no one would have thought this deal was on, but Mikel Arteta clearly sees a player whose potential was being wasted at Chelsea.

However, £65million is a lot of money to spend on a player who hasn't exactly set the Premier League alight.

39 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

And if you fancy a bet on the match, here are the odds for this one.

Nurnberg - 6/1

Draw - 4/1

Arsenal - 3/10

41 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

Of course, this is only a pre-season friendly but it will still be intriguing to see how Mikel Arteta's men line up.

The Spaniard's team played with an inverted full-back last year, so could we see Ben White or Jakub Kiwior play a similar role this evening?

Or does Arteta have something new up his sleeve?

All will be revealed in just over 20 minutes.

44 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

Despite the lukewarm reception from some people, it seems these Arsenal fans are more than happy to see Kai Havertz playing in red and white.

46 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

And the Nurnberg team is now in!

Nurnberg starting XI: Mathenia, Valentini, Lawrence, Marquez, Brown, Okunki, Moller-Daehli, Geis, Handwerker, Hayashi, Duah

Subs: Klaus, Lohkemper, Goller, Castrop, Hubner, Gyamerah, Daferner, Schleimer, Loune, Gurleyen

50 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

Despite being in Germany, there are loads of Arsenal fans in here tonight.

54 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

William Saliba was arguably the best centre-back in the Premier League last season until his back injury.

In his absence, the Gunners' Premier League title challenge collapsed and the club only kept two Premier League clean sheets.

So his return to fitness is huge for Mikel Arteta's men.

Saliba is quick and technically top draw.

59 minutes ago

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

So Kai Havertz starts this one on the bench, which is a bit of a shame as most Gunners fans would have been excited to see him alongside Martin Odegaard in midfield.

The German is expected to replace Granit Xhaka in the Gunners side this season after playing most of last year as a lone striker at Chelsea and struggling.

But Mikel Arteta truly believes that Havertz is a top talent and it's going to be fascinating to see how he does.

Today, 17:17

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Martinelli have travelled with the Arsenal squad to Germany, but won't play any part in this game.

Both players suffered injuries towards the back end of last season but have been training well and will no doubt be involved during the club's trip to the USA.

Today, 17:14

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

Arsenal were hoping to have Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber involved in tonight's game, but their transfers from West Ham and Ajax have been held up.

The delay with both appears to be around some of the fineprint in the contracts, but there is nothing to fear and the deals won't collapse.

If you want to know more about Timber and Rice, head over to our dedicated Arsenal transfer blog here.

Today, 17:11

Arsenal vs Nurnberg

Today, 17:03

Hello, and welcome to talkSPORT.com's live coverage of Arsenal's pre-season friendly against Nurnberg.

The Gunners have named an extremely strong starting XI, although fans will have to wait until the second half to see Kai Havertz as he's on the bench.

But the big news is that William Saliba has recovered from his back injury and takes his place in the defence.

Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale, Bukayo Saka and Thomas Partey all start for Mikel Arteta's men.

Arsenal starting XI: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Partey, Trossard, Odegaard, Saka, Nelson, Nketiah

Subs: Hein, Trusty, Cedric, Tierney, Walters, Jorginho, Vieira, Havertz, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, Jesus, Balogun

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