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Confirmed Everton v Arsenal lineups: Digne absence explained as Xhaka starts

Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images
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Everton starting XI: Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Mina, Godfrey; Allan, Doucoure; Gray, Townsend, Gordon; Richarlison.

Everton substitutes: Begovic, Kenny, Holgate, Delph, Iwobi, Tosun, Gomes, Gbamin, Branthwaite.

Arsenal starting XI: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Lacazette.

Arsenal substitutes: Okonkwo, Holding, Cedric, Tavares, Lokonga, Elneny, Pepe, Nketiah, Aubameyang.

Everton have Jordan Pickford in goal but Lucas Digne is not involved – and the Liverpool Echo’s Phil Kirkbridge claims he is not injured.

That means Ben Godfrey likely has to fill in at left back, with Seamus Coleman, Michael Keane and Yerry Mina also in the back four.

Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure are in midfield, with Demarai Gray, Andros Townsend and Anthony Gordon supporting Richarlison up top.

Andre Gomes makes the bench, joining Asmir Begovic, Jonjoe Kenny, Mason Holgate, Fabian Delph, Alex Iwobi, Cenk Tosun, Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Jarrad Branthwaite.

Arsenal go with Aaron Ramsdale between the sticks, with Kieran Tierney coming back in at left back.

Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes make up the rest of the defence.

Granit Xhaka returns in midfield well ahead of schedule, joining Thomas Partey in the engine room.

Bukayo Saka, Martin Ödegaard and Gabriel Martinelli all start, supporting Alexandre Lacazette up top.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is dropped to the bench, alongside Arthur Okonkwo, Rob Holding, Cedric Soares, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Mohamed Elneny, Nicolas Pepe and Eddie Nketiah.