Arteta leaves Declan Rice on bench as Arsenal rotate for Nottingham Forest
Manager makes surprise call for early kick-off, handing Eberechi Eze a full debut while Mikel Merino starts in midfield
Mikel Arteta left England international Declan Rice among the substitutes as Arsenal shuffled their starting lineup for Saturday’s early kick-off against Nottingham Forest.
Arteta said the decision was driven by fixture congestion after the international break and the need to manage minutes across a busy schedule. "The amount of games we play in the next 21 days," he told TNT Sports, "it is finding that right balance by making sure everybody is connected."
Rice has been a near-constant presence in Arsenal’s midfield since his summer move, playing almost every minute through the first three Premier League fixtures and registering two assists. He was substituted late in the 1-0 victory at Manchester United and is named among the substitutes for the trip to the Emirates Stadium, with Mikel Merino taking the midfield start in his place.
Summer signing Eberechi Eze received a full debut in the attack, while Noni Madueke kept his place on the right wing in the absence of Bukayo Saka. Arteta’s selection represented a broader rotation as the club aims to maintain freshness across a congested run of fixtures.
Arsenal’s announced XI for the match was Aaron Ramsdale Raya in goal; defenders Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel and Calafiori; a midfield trio of Zubimendi, Merino and captain Martin Ødegaard; and an attack of Eze, Madueke and Mikael Gyökeres. The listed substitutes included David Raya, Yerry Mina, Kieran Tierney, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri, Rice, Alex Lewis-Skelly and David Dowman.
The selection will be watched closely given Rice’s quick assimilation into Arteta’s side and his early contributions. Arteta underlined the medical and workload considerations that inform such calls when fixtures cluster tightly in the calendar.
Historically, the fixture has favoured Arsenal at home. The club entered the match having won their last six home league meetings with Forest by a combined 19-2 scoreline and remained unbeaten in 14 home matches against the East Midlands club.
Arsenal faces a run of domestic and European fixtures in the coming weeks, and Arteta signalled that rotation will be a feature as he balances competitiveness with player availability. Rice’s presence on the bench keeps him available for a potential impact from the substitutes’ bench should the game demand a midfield change.