Kai Havertz has been handed his first Premier League start in a year by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who has dropped captain Martin Ødegaard to the bench for the trip to Leeds United.
Bukayo Saka, meanwhile, picked up an injury in the warmups and has been replaced in the starting XI by Noni Madueke. Saka appeared to be holding his groin as he limped off the pitch prior to kickoff.
Arsenal are aiming to build on their four-point lead at the top of the table on Saturday and Arteta has reinstated Viktor Gyökeres to his starting striker role, in place of Gabriel Jesus.
In midfield, the big surprise comes in the shape of Havertz-for-Ødegaard, with the German international having impressed in his start against Kairat in the Champions League on Wednesday after a lengthy injury layoff.
Sources have told ESPN that there is no injury for Ødegaard, and that the decision is tactical.
Havertz, who last started a league game for Arsenal on Feb. 2, 2025, starts in midfield alongside Declan Rice and Martín Zubimendi, with Ødegaard and summer signing Eberechi Eze on the bench.
Speaking in his news conference on Friday, Arteta defended Ødegaard’s stats in 2025-26 (one goal in 24 games in all competitions).
“Those are the numbers but we have to give the full numbers as well,” Arteta said.
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“He’s played much less minutes than in any other season as well because he’s been injured three times, that’s the reality. We want to improve that, for sure, we want him to affect the game in the area where we can win football matches. But you know Martin and how he works every single day, I have no doubt that that will come.”
Asked if the midfielder drops deep too much, Arteta replied: “It’s a bit of his nature, and my nature is to go to the opposite side.
“But we need to respect as well the qualities and the talent of players, and within that, they need to feel the freedom in attack, especially to do what they believe is best.”
Information from ESPN’s James Olley was used in this report.
