Olivier Giroud has returned to lead the line for Arsenal as they welcome Swansea City to the Emirates tonight.

Danny Welbeck has dropped to the bench, despite scoring in the 3-2 loss at Manchester United last time out, in one of three changes from manager Arsene Wenger.

Per Mertesacker is back in the heart of defence to partner Gabriel Paulista after Laurent Koscielny was ruled out of the matchday squad with "a slight calf injury".

The other alteration comes in midfield as Joel Campbell displaces Theo Walcott alongside Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil in support of Giroud.

The visiting Swans will be without manager Francesco Guidolin tonight after he was hospitalised with a chest infection, leaving head coach Alan Curtis to oversee proceedings as they look to end a winless run of four games.

In all there are six changes to the side that were defeated at the Gunners' London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, most notably in the back four, where only captain Ashley Williams retains his place.

Angel Rangel, Federico Fernandez and Neil Taylor are all out as Kyle Naughton, Jordi Amat and Stephen Kingsley come in, while Leroy Fer is in for Leon Britton as partner for Jack Cork at defensive midfield.

Wayne Routledge is preferred to Gylfi Sigurdsson in the middle of the park, while Bafetimbi Gomis returns up front in place of January signing Alberto Paloschi, who claimed the Welsh side's solitary goal last time out.

Arsenal: Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Monreal; Ramsey, Coquelin; Campbell, Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud
Subs: Ospina, Chambers, Gibbs, Elneny, Flamini, Walcott, Welbeck

Swansea City: Fabianski; Naughton, Amat, Williams, Kingsley; Cork, Fer; Ki Sung-Yueng, Routledge, Ayew; Gomis
Subs: Nordfeldt, Rangel, Fernandez, Fulton, Barrow, Sigurdsson, Paloschi

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