Mikel Arteta has seven Arsenal undroppables to face Man Utd and the four positions up for grabs

The 2025/26 season will hopefully prove to be a memorable one for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal when it comes to their quest to win major trophies. It just hasn't quite happened for the Gunners in recent seasons and the north London club have duly strengthened their squad for the new term as a result.

A number of debuts could be handed out at Old Trafford on Sunday when Arsenal play Manchester United in a 4.30pm kick-off. Arteta's side should certainly go into the match in confident mood after putting three goals past Athletic Club in the Emirates Cup on Saturday.

Arsenal have been handed quite the start to the new campaign as they face Manchester United, Leeds United, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Newcastle United in their first six games. It is a very tough start to the campaign for a team with title aspirations but the Gunners do have a squad that can come out of that run with a very healthy points tally.

Arsenal have added six players to their squad for the new season and those who have signed on the dotted line this summer will be hoping to play their part at The Theatre of Dreams this weekend. When it comes to Arteta's team to take on the Red Devils, the head coach has seven undroppables who look guaranteed to start.

David Raya is the first of those in goal, with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes then certainties to start together at centre-back. In midfield, it would be a huge surprise if Arteta didn't go with Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice as his midfield triumvirate after unleashing the trio together last weekend against Athletic Club.

The trio are viewed as his first-choice midfield and they will be expected to all start again after impressing as a partnership against the Spanish side. In attack, Bukayo Saka, as ever, starts on the right wing.

That means Arteta has calls to make over his two full-backs, left winger and striker. In terms of his full-backs, Ben White has had a strong pre-season campaign to up the pressure on Jurrien Timber, who has only just recently returned from injury.

On the left, Myles Lewis-Skelly made the position his own after breaking into the term last season but his form has been mixed in pre-season. Riccardo Calafiori, when fit, has enjoyed a good pre-season and he could be in contention to start at left-back after playing there against Athletic Club.

Arteta also has a big call to make on the left wing as he has Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke to select from and possibly also Leandro Trossard if he returns from the groin issue that has seen him miss the last two games. Finally, it will be between Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz to lead the line.

The Swede has put himself in an excellent position to start after his goal and performance against Athletic Club and many will feel that the summer addition should be given the nod from the off. However, you cannot rule out Arteta plumping for Havertz as the ex-Chelsea man did enjoy a strong pre-season even if he maybe didn't score as many goals as he would have liked.

After having to do without key players last season and with certain positions picking themselves on a matchday due to a lack of numbers, Arteta will just be glad to have choice when it comes to choosing his strongest Arsenal XI.

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