Mesut Ozil has been ruled out of Arsenal's trip to Stoke City after picking up "a slight foot injury" in training.
The forced change is just one from Arsene Wenger from the side that were frustrated by Liverpool in midweek, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain returning to the fold in place of the German playmaker.
Alexis Sanchez is again missing from the matchday squad as he gears up for a return from injury, while new signing Mohamed Elneny is named on the bench.
For the hosting Potters, manager Mark Hughes names an unchanged XI from the side that comfortably beat Norwich City on Wednesday, with Joselu leading the line as they look to move within four points of the top four.
Stoke City: Butland; Pieters, Wollscheid, Shawcross, Johnson; Afellay, Whelan; Arnautovic, Krcic, Walters; Joselu
Subs: Haugaard, Muniesa, Odemwingie, Van Ginkel, Adam, Diouf, Crouch
Arsenal: Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Ramsey, Flamini, Campbell, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott; Giroud
Subs: Ospina, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs, Elneny, Arteta, Iwobi
Follow live coverage of Arsenal's bid to return to the top of the league with Sports Mole's text commentary here.
Neil Wilkes
