Arsenal’s record signing Alexandre Lacazette was left out of Arsene Wenger’s starting line-up against Sydney FC.
The club revealed the starting XI who would be facing the Australian club on Arsenal’s official Twitter account, but the 26-year-old was a notable absentee from Wenger’s squad.
Lacazette was expected to feature in the team after Wenger was quoted on the club’s official website speaking about the new recruit when the team arrived in Australia for the pre-season tour.
Wenger said: “Lacazette will make his debut here, yes, on Thursday night he will certainly play a part in the game and in the other game as well.”
Arsenal revealed the line up in a tweet, which showed that the team had a number of new faces except the former Monaco goal-machine.
The teams are in – let's do this, lads ?#ArsenalinSydney pic.twitter.com/qkxL7NtJto
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 13, 2017
Within the line-up fellow new recruit Sead Kolasinac is set to make his debut during the club’s first pre-season friendly while on their tour, after the ex-Schalke defender was named as Arsenal’s first signing of the summer back in June.
In addition to Kolasinac, three Arsenal youth players are set to make their first-team debut, which includes Under 23 player Cohen Bramall, and Under 18 squad members Reiss Nelson and Joe Willock.
To balance out the younger members of the squad, Wenger has created an experienced front-line with Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck.
Wenger has opted for a 3-4-2-1 formation, as using a back three proved to work well for the Arsenal squad towards the end of last season, and the manager is set to persist with the formation throughout their pre-season friendlies.