Arsenal Fans Horrified as Gunners Confirm Shkodran Mustafi & David Luiz Will Start Europa League Tie

Arsenal centre-backs Shkodran Mustafi and David Luiz are to play together for the first time after the Gunners named their starting XI for the opening Europa

Arsenal centre-backs Shkodran Mustafi and David Luiz are to play together for the first time after the Gunners named their starting XI for the opening Europa League game of the season against Eintracht Frankfurt at the Commerzbank-Arena in Germany.

Mustafi, who will make his first appearance of the season, hasn’t exactly been a popular figure with Arsenal fans, while Luiz has left plenty to be desired since his £8m move from Chelsea.

📋 Our team news for tonight's @EuropaLeague opener...

✅ @EmileSmithRowe starts
✅ @BukayoSaka87 is also in the lineup
✅ @JoeWillock returns to the starting XI

🏆 #UEL

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 19, 2019

The thought of Mustafi returning to the team and the two of them playing alongside each other has left Gunners fans on social media…concerned, let’s say, for want of a family friendly phrase.

Mustafi starting https://t.co/RIhQK7cxgD

— P™ (@SemperFiArsenal) September 19, 2019

Mustafi and David Luiz... pic.twitter.com/oiEqOr2q2C

— 🔴⚪️ (@TottenhamArePoo) September 19, 2019

There was also some displeasure with Granit Xhaka’s involvement.

Mustafi, Luiz and Kolasinac in defence and Xhaka🤣

— #KROENKEOUT (@INVINCEARSENAL) September 19, 2019

Naming a heavily rotated team, Arsenal manager Unai Emery has made seven changes from the side that was pegged back by Watford in the Premier League on Sunday.

There are starts for home-grown teenagers Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka. Fellow youngster Joe Willock also returns to the line-up, while back-up goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez gets the nod ahead of usual starter Bernd Leno between the sticks.

Some were quite happy to see younger and/or fringe players get a chance to shine.

So happy for Martinez and chambers😍😍

— Dwishank (@dwishank) September 19, 2019

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one of the few that keeps his place, with Dani Ceballos, record signing Nicolas Pepe, Matteo Guendouzi and Ainsley Maitland-Niles dropping to the bench.

The Gunners remain without injured duo Alexandre Lacazette, Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney, while Mesut Ozil has been left out of the squad completely after making his first appearance of the season against Watford over the weekend.