Fleetwood vs Arsenal confirmed line-ups: Dowman and O’Neill start

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Updated 7pm, Tuesday 27 October: confirmed line-ups added.

Fleetwood vs Arsenal confirmed line-ups

Max Dowman and Ceadach O’Neill start for Arsenal against Fleetwood Town, with Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyökeres also named in Mikel Arteta’s side for tonight’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie.

Illan Meslier starts in goal at Highbury Stadium, while Marli Salmon partners Cristhian Mosquera in defence. Kick-off is at 8pm GMT, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

Arsenal: Meslier; Timber, Salmon, Mosquera, Hincapié; Zubimendi, Lewis-Skelly; Dowman, Havertz, O’Neill; Gyökeres.

Substitutes: Kepa, White, Ødegaard, Eze, Konsa, Guimarães, Harriman-Annous, Washington, Hashi.

Fleetwood: Starting XI: Jay Lynch (GK); Conor Haughey, Shaun Rooney, Finley Potter; Crispin McLean, Mark Helm, Harrison Neal, Rhys Bennett, Jake Batty; Ched Evans, Aaron Loupalo-Bi

Substitutes: Will Davies, Raffaele Cirino, Josh Robertson, Adam Murphy, James Pradic, Josh Thomas, Ronan Coughlan, Andy Cannon, Danny Andrew

Seven of our predicted Arsenal starters were selected: Salmon, Mosquera, Hincapié, Zubimendi, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman and Gyökeres. Meslier, Jurriën Timber, Havertz and O’Neill came in where we had tipped Kepa, Ben White, Mikel Merino and Eberechi Eze, who are both on the bench along with Martin Ødegaard and Bruno Guimarães.

Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Christos Tzolis miss the match through injury. Arteta has said Saka faces weeks on the sidelines with a thigh injury. For viewing details, see our Fleetwood vs Arsenal TV guide.

Arsenal team news: Saka absent as Arteta considers changes

Bukayo Saka is unavailable with a thigh injury, while William Saliba remains sidelined with a back problem. Christos Tzolis is recovering from a hamstring injury and is not included in our predicted team.

Saka’s absence changes Arsenal’s options on the right. Our Saka injury coverage explains the setback and the attacking alternatives available to Arteta.

Riccardo Calafiori is another fitness concern after the Everton match. We expect Piero Hincapié to start at left-back, allowing Arteta to avoid taking a risk with the Italian.

Declan Rice could also be rested. His withdrawal against Everton prompted concern, but we are treating his omission from this predicted XI as a selection decision rather than confirmation of an injury.

Arsenal’s next Premier League match is at Liverpool on Sunday 1 November. That gives Arteta a reason to manage workloads while selecting a side capable of progressing at Fleetwood.

Fleetwood vs Arsenal predicted line-ups

Arsenal predicted XI: Dowman and Salmon handed opportunities

Dowman is our choice on the right after scoring twice against Ipswich in the previous round. Asked whether the teenager would start against Fleetwood, Arteta replied, “Let’s see”, according to The Standard.

Starting Dowman would allow Noni Madueke to be rested. With Saka absent, preserving another senior option on the right could influence Arteta’s thinking before Anfield.

We predict Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal, with Ben White at right-back and Hincapié on the opposite side. Cristhian Mosquera and 17-year-old Salmon are our central-defensive pairing, allowing Gabriel a break.

Salmon’s inclusion would put an academy player alongside senior defenders rather than require an entirely inexperienced back line. White’s versatility would also give Arteta options to adjust during the game.

Martín Zubimendi and Myles Lewis-Skelly are our midfield choices, with Mikel Merino operating further forward. Eberechi Eze would provide another creative outlet from the left.

We have selected Viktor Gyökeres to lead the attack. Keeping a senior striker in the side would give Arsenal a focal point while Arteta changes the players around him. Kai Havertz and academy forward Andre Harriman-Annous offer alternatives.

Arsenal predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kepa Arrizabalaga; Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Marli Salmon, Piero Hincapié; Martín Zubimendi, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Max Dowman, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze; Viktor Gyökeres.

Fleetwood predicted XI: McCann suspension forces a change

Lewis McCann is suspended after collecting two bookings in the competition, while Rhys Bennett is available again following a ban, as detailed in Sports Mole’s team news.

Our selection largely retains the players who started the third-round victory over Sheffield United. That team included Jay Lynch in goal, a defensive trio of Shaun Rooney, Bennett and Finley Potter, and Ched Evans alongside Aaron Loupalo-Bi in attack.

The team sheet from that tie provides the basis for our prediction, with Adam Murphy our choice to come into midfield in McCann’s absence.

We expect Harrison Neal to operate in front of the defence, with Crispin McLean, Mark Helm, Murphy and Danny Andrew completing the midfield in a possible 3-1-4-2.

Matt Lawlor could instead turn to Raffaele Cirino in a wide role or Ronan Coughlan up front. Our selection favours continuity with the side that secured Fleetwood’s place in this round.

Fleetwood predicted XI (3-1-4-2): Jay Lynch; Shaun Rooney, Rhys Bennett, Finley Potter; Harrison Neal; Crispin McLean, Mark Helm, Adam Murphy, Danny Andrew; Ched Evans, Aaron Loupalo-Bi.

The occasion comes with a full stadium, as covered in our Fleetwood sell-out feature. Lawlor’s selection will need to balance that attacking ambition with protection against Arsenal’s movement between midfield and defence.

Fleetwood vs Arsenal: your questions answered

What time is Fleetwood vs Arsenal?

The match kicks off at 8pm UK time on Tuesday 27 October at Highbury Stadium. It is live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football. See our Fleetwood vs Arsenal TV guide for viewing details.

Is Bukayo Saka playing against Fleetwood?

No. Saka is unavailable with a thigh injury and is expected to be sidelined for weeks.

When are the Fleetwood vs Arsenal line-ups announced?

Official teams are usually announced around an hour before kick-off, so look out for the selections from approximately 7pm. The predicted teams above may differ from the confirmed starting XIs.

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