Frank Christian
In the upcoming Carabao Cup third-round match, Mikel Arteta is set to rotate his squad for Arsenal as they face League One’s Bolton Wanderers. However, the extent of these changes remains uncertain.
After a gripping 2-2 draw against Manchester City, where Arsenal played a significant portion with ten men due to Leandro Trossard’s red card, the team faced a heart-wrenching equalizer by John Stones in the dying moments of the game.
Stones, along with teammates Bernardo Silva and Manuel Akanji, accused Arsenal of employing “dark arts” to disrupt the flow of the match and feign injuries.
Arteta responded at a news conference on Tuesday, emphasizing that he prefers facts over speculation. He mentioned that further details would be available regarding player availability before the match.
He noted, “Unfortunately, a few players will be unavailable. The lineup will clarify the situation. If any player is genuinely injured, they won’t participate.”
Lineups for Arsenal vs. Bolton – Expected Starting XI and Team News
David Raya, who played impressively against City, is out tonight due to injury. Backup goalkeeper Neto is cup-tied and Tommy Setford is also injured, leaving 16-year-old Jack Porter to make his debut as the youngest player to start for Arsenal.
While Gabriel Martinelli, Jurrien Timber, and goal-scorer Riccardo Calafiori had prominent roles during the match against City, Martinelli will be on the bench, while Timber does not feature in the squad.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, who debuted in the Premier League against City, will start tonight.
Arsenal (4-3-3, left to right): Porter (GK) — Nichols, Kiwior, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly — Nwaneri, Jorginho, Rice — Saka, Jesus, Sterling
Injuries: Tierney, Odegaard, Merino, Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, Setford, Raya, White, Timber
Suspended: Trossard
Cup-tied: Neto
Bolton secured a crucial 5-2 win against Reading recently, with Dion Charles scoring a hat-trick. This marked only their second win in six League One matches this season under Ian Evatt.
Charles will rest on the bench tonight, and Jordi Osei-Tutu, a former Arsenal youth player, is sidelined due to a knee injury.
Predicted Bolton XI (3-5-2, left to right): Southwood (GK) — Forino, Santos, Toal — Dacres-Cogley, Sheehan, Arfield, Dempsey, Williams — McAtee, Collins
Injuries: Osei-Tutu, Gomes, Lolos, Jones, Forrester
Suspensions: None
Where to Watch Arsenal vs. Bolton Live
Here’s how to catch the Carabao Cup third-round match in various regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | — | Paramount+ |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK | Sky Sports+ | Sky GO, Sky Sports website |
| Australia | beIN Sports 1 | beIN Sports Connect |
| India | — | FanCode |
