FC Basel vs Arsenal team news: Granit Xhaka starts against his former club as Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Lucas Perez lead Champions League attack
Granit Xhaka has been handed a start against his former club FC Basel as Arsenal attempt to pip Paris Saint-Germain to top spot in Champions League Group A tonight.
Xhaka joined Basel's youth team in 2002 and became a key player for the Swiss side before leaving for Borussia Monchengladbach in 2012. The midfielder spent four years in the Bundesliga before signing for Arsenal for £34million this summer, and starts alongside Aaron Ramsey in central midfield.
Lucas Perez starts on the flank despite a tough start to life with the Gunners, while Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil keep their places as Arsene Wenger seeks to hunt down Unai Emery's PSG for top spot.
Arsenal XI: Ospina; Gabriel, Holding, Koscielny, Gibbs; Xhaka, Ramsey; Iwobi, Ozil, Lucas; Sanchez
Substitutes: Cech, Monreal, Mustafi, Elneny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Giroud
Basel XI: Vaclik; Lang, Suchy, Balanta, Traore; Die, Xhaka; Elyounoussi, Delgado, Steffen; Janko
Substitutes: Vailati, Gaber, Zuffi, Bjarnason, Hoegh, Calla, Doumbia
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LiveblogFC Basel vs Arsenal team news in full: Xhaka, Sanchez, Ozil all startArsenalChampions LeaguePremier LeagueFC BaselGranit XhakaArsenal in training 5th December 2016
Arsenal in training 5th December 2016
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Mesut Ozil
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Olivier Giroud
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alexis Sanchez
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Per Mertesacker and Hector Bellerin
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Petr Cech
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Alex Iwobi
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Alexis Sanchez kicks the ball alongside Gabriel and Lucas Perez
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Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka
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Alexis Sanchez
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Theo Walcott and Alex Iwobi
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