Thomas Partey to play strange new role against Nottingham Forest as Arsenal team news revealed

Arsenal's Thomas Partey is set to line-up in an unusual position against Nottingham Forest.

The Gunners open their Premier League campaign by welcoming Forest to the Emirates.

While Mikel Arteta has made just one change to the side the lined-up against Manchester City in the Community Shield, with Gabriel dropping out of the team, it appears Partey will adopt a new role.

Kai Havertz has dropped back into midfield alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.

And with Gabriel on the bench, Partey looks set to start at right-back with Ben White shifting into the centre of the defence.

Partey has played in that position before, having been deployed at right-back in Arsenal's away fixture against Forest back in May.

He also played in that role on several occasions for his former club Atletico Madrid. As per Transfermarkt Partey played at right-back on 11 times for the Madrid club, scoring once.

Meanwhile, for the Gunners he has played there on two occasions before today.

Elsewhere, Arsenal have not been able to name David Raya in the squad. The club had hoped to complete a deal for the keeper so he could be available for the Emirates Stadium clash, but the paperwork was not submitted before the Friday noon deadline.

Meanwhile, Oleksandr Zinchenko has not shaken off a calf injury and misses out on the squad, having also not featured in pre-season. Jorginho, who had been carrying a muscle problem, is named on the bench, however.

For Forest Matt Turner makes his debut, having only signed for the club from Arsenal earlier this week.

The Arsenal team to take on Nottingham Forest is: Ramsdale; Partey, Saliba, White, Timber; Rice, Odegaard, Havertz; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli

Subs: Hein, Gabriel, Kiwior, Tomiyasu, Smith Rowe, Vieira, Jorginho, Nelson, Trossard

And the Forest team set to face Arsenal is: Turner; Aurier, McKenna, Worrall, Boly, Aina; Mangala, Yates, Danilo; Gibbs-White, Johnson

Substitutes: Horvath, Williams, Kouyate, Awoniyi, Wood, Niakhate, Elanga, Freuler, O’Brien

Topics: Football, Arsenal, Premier League, Mikel Arteta

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.