Team News: Rice and Jesus start at Atalanta | Team News | News

Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus have returned to our starting lineup for today’s Champions League opening match against Atalanta.

The England midfielder missed Sunday's north London derby through suspension but is back tonight and will start alongside Thomas Partey in midfield. Jesus was named captain, with Jorginho and Leandro Trossard on the bench.

The Brazilian scored in all four of his appearances in the Champions League last season. Only Filippo Inzaghi, Diego Costa, Neymar and Sebastien Haller managed to score in their first five appearances for a particular club in the competition.

Riccardo Calafiori could also take a place on the bench and Raheem Sterling, if used, could become the first player in European Cup/Champions League history to play for four English teams.

Atalanta, meanwhile, made one change from the team that beat Fiorentina 3-2 on Sunday, with experienced Italian international Davide Zappacosta moving up to right wing-back in place of Raoul Bellanova.

This means that former Gunner Saed Kolasinac will face his former club, while stars Ademola Lookman and Mateo Retegui will continue to play in attack.

LINEUPS

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Partey, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus.
Subscriptions: Neto, Porter, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Kiwior, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Gower, S. Oulad-M'Hand, Trossard, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji.

Atalanta – Statistics & current form Carnesecchi, Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac, Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri, De Ketelaere, Retegui, Lookman.
Subscriptions: Patricio, Rossi, Kossonou, Del Lungo, Bellanova, Palestra, Pasalic, Cuadrado, Samardzic, Brescianini, Zaniolo, Vlahovic.