Arteta names Havertz, Rice and Konsa in Arsenal starting XI vs Leeds

Mikel Arteta has confirmed the Arsenal starting lineup for their Premier League match against Leeds United. Despite significant fitness concerns following the international break, Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, and Ezri Konsa have all been cleared to start.

The trio had been considered doubts throughout the week. Rice withdrew early from the England squad to manage his workload, Havertz dealt with a hamstring issue for Germany, and Konsa returned early due to a dead leg. None of the players were spotted in training on Thursday, yet Arteta has deemed them fit enough to feature from the opening whistle.

Arteta addressed the management of his squad, particularly regarding Rice, noting the midfielder's heavy game load over the past three seasons. The manager emphasized the necessity of sensible rotation to keep his key players available for the long campaign.

Yeah, we have to manage him because he's been with a few issues since he came back from the World Cup, and we know the amount of games that he's played in the last three years. So, yes, it was a sensible thing to do. Mikel Arteta

Other tactical calls include Ben White returning at right-back, while young midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly earns a starting spot alongside Rice. Noni Madueke is set to start on the left wing, while forward Viktor Gyokeres begins the match on the bench.