Arsenal v Brentford live: Team news and line-ups from Premier League London derby tonight

Keith Andrews has been making sure Brentford have been getting their flowers on being ahead of the curve in terms of prioritising set-pieces and mentioned it again ahead of the match this evening.

When asked by the Sky Sports team whether the Bees have been focussing on attacking or defensive set-pieces, Andrews said: “Both really, to be honest.

“Arsenal are obviously a difficult team to prepare for. They’re very good in what they do, they’re very consistent in what they do and Mikel [Arteta] respects every phase of the game, which is something I really admire in how he sets his team up, and set-pieces is a very prevalent part of that.

“The thing I would say, Brentford were first to the table around that set-piece coach route – and that wasn’t me, that was in years gone by – so it’s an area of the game that is very, very important to our football club and I think it will be important tonight.”

Declan Rice has spoken to Sky Sports ahead of this evening’s game and has given his backing to Arsenal’s centre-backs Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie, while also explaining his deeper role against Chelsea to protect the back two.

“It’s something I’m capable of,” said Rice. “It wasn’t something that was asked of me. It was something that I felt I wanted to do with it being Stamford Bridge and a massive London derby – I wanted to help them out and be as close to them as possible.

“But they’re both experienced internationals even though they’re so young. They’re incredible and the qualities they have are immense. They’ve been really good for us and tonight we go again at the Emirates.”

If Arteta is taking a slight risk resting some players, then Keith Andrews must be taking a huge one by benching his star striker Igor Thiago.

Thiago has scored 11 goals in 13 Premier League games this season and has been superb. Are Brentford writing tonight off by benching him?

Dango Ouattara and Kevin Schade will provide the attacking options, while it’s a back five with Ethan Pinnock, Sepp van den Berg and Kristoffer Ajer as the central three defenders.

Brentford XI: Kelleher; Kayode, Pinnock, Van den Berg, Ajer Henry; Jensen, Yarmoliuk, Janelt; Schade, Ouattara

Some big decisions from Mikel Arteta as both Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze are BENCHED tonight, with Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli on the wings and Mikel Merino through the middle as a No 9. Viktor Gyokeres only deemed fit enough for the bench again as well.

As expected, William Saliba hasn’t recovered in time, so summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie are the centre-backs again. Can Brentford exploit that?

Jurrien Timber is also rested as Ben White starts at right-back but Riccardo Calafiori remains at left-back despite being one booking away from a suspension. Myles Lewis-Skelly may be miffed…

Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Merino, Martinelli

Here are how the teams will line up tonight. Some big names benched including Saka and Thiago!

We’ll run through it all now.

We’re only a couple of minutes away from finding out tonight’s team news. How many changes will Mikel Arteta make?

Noni Madueke got his first goal for Arsenal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last week. In his programme notes ahead of tonight’s game, Gunners skipper Martin Odegaard has revealed how delighted the squad were for the winger.

“Everyone was so pleased for Noni to get his first goal for us,” writes Odegaard. “I’ve got to know him really well over the past few weeks as we were doing our rehab together.

“We had a very similar injury, so we’ve spent a lot of time together in the gym and around the training ground. I’ve seen how hard he’s worked to come back as soon and as strong as possible.

“His goal last Wednesday was massive for him, and well deserved. He brings a lot of energy to the team with a great sense of humour and always comes in with a smile on his face.

“He’s always working hard, just a top guy to have in the dressing room. He brings that energy and you can see that on the pitch as well.

“The way he plays he always wants to go forward, to take the ball and make things happen. He’s a great guy and a quality player.”

The Emirates looking in fine fettle today as it gears up for this evening’s match

In Arsenal’s preparations for tonight’s match, set-piece coach Nicolas Jover has especially been focusing on how to block Brentford’s most aerially decisive players – namely, Sepp van den Berg – from “accessing key zones”.

Jover’s much-discussed work isn’t so much about delivery routines as attempting to coordinate what actually happens in the box; the smaller details that define the finer margins.

None of this will be any secret to Brentford, since they essentially came up with it all – at least in terms of applying new science to a traditionalist football approach.

There is more to it than the admittedly impressive rigour of Tony Pulis. Along those lines, Brentford generally go about their business in a modest way, but the manner in which Premier League rivals get praise for something they pioneered has irked certain figures at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Read the full piece from Miguel Delaney:

Mikel Arteta praised his Arsenal side at the end of an “immensely difficult” week after they drew 1-1 with 10-man Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The Gunners started a Premier League match with neither William Saliba nor Gabriel in defence for the first time this season, Martin Odegaard and Viktor Gyokeres only fit enough for the bench and Leandro Trossard injured, they had to come from a goal down to take a point that put them five clear at the top of the table.

The sending-off of Moises Caicedo in the first half for a studs-up tackle on the ankle of Mikel Merino seemed to leave the match there for the taking, but after Trevoh Chalobah headed Arsenal in front, there was a sense of relief that the leaders had survived with a point thanks to Merino’s leveller.

Despite playing against 10 men for almost an hour, Arteta reflected instead on what his side had achieved in the previous seven days after thrashing Tottenham in the north London derby and the Champions League win over Bayern Munich: