Arsenal could again be without forward Theo Walcott through illness for the Europa League tie in Cologne.
Walcott missed the Premier League win over Tottenham and did not train outside at London Colney on Wednesday morning as the rest of the squad prepared for the trip to Germany, where striker Olivier Giroud should be involved following his thigh injury along with goalkeeper David Ospina, who has recovered from a groin problem, and forward Danny Welbeck.
With the Gunners already qualified out of Group H for the knockout stage, manager Arsene Wenger is expected to again give his young players a chance to impress, with the likes of 17-year-old Reiss Nelson, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock all expected to feature in the squad.
Provisional Squad: Ospina, Holding, Mertesacker, Chambers, Debuchy, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Elneny, Coquelin, Wilshere, Welbeck, Macey, Willock, Nketiah, Giroud, Osei-Tutu, McGuane, Sheaf, Akpom, Da Silva
Mertesacker's memories of Cologne
I’m looking forward to it.
I played my first league game in Cologne.
I was substituted after 45 minutes because it was so intense!
It is very special.
On derby victory
It was a great example of fans and players bringing it all together.
In the stands, on the bench and on the field we were together.
Mertesacker up next
The Arsenal skipper will now field questions.
Stay tuned.
On Welbeck
For me he is a striker who had top physical qualities.
He is a team player as well. He is top class striker and on top of that he is loved by everybody in the squad.
If he is fit he will go to the World Cup, I’m convinced of that.
Team news
The Arsenal boss has confirmed he will name an experienced side tomorrow night.
Joe Willock and Eddie Nketiah have both travelled with the squad.
You will see a very experienced team tomorrow and see that every player has a big experience in the Premier League.
Wenger has arrived!
The Arsenal boss is in the house.
Updates to follow...
Our man is in the house
We will be hearing from the Arsenal boss in around 10 minutes.
Skipper Per Mertesacker will also be speaking.
An indicator he will start tomorrow night.
Following their brilliant 2-0 win over bitter rivals Spurs at the weekend, Arsenal are back in training preparing for European football.
Arsene Wenger’s men may have already progressed into the last-32 of the Europa League, but a win against Cologne would see them top Group H.
Theo Walcott, who has struggled for game time this season, is missing through illness while Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck could make returns to first team action.
Here are six things we noticed from Arsenal training ahead of the clash...
Sanchez and Ozil 'committed to Arsenal'
Nacho Monreal reckons Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil will be Arsenal players until at least the end of the season.
The Gunners’ star duo are out of contract at the end of this campaign but could leave in cut-price deals in the New Year.
Sanchez saw a potential £60m move to Manchester City collapse on deadline day in the summer though the league leaders are considering reviving their interest in January.
With Chilean forward Sanchez then having just half a season left on his contract his value would plummet to around £20m.
Barcelona has emerged as a possible destination for playmaker Ozil, who is being viewed by the La Liga leaders as a cheaper £17m alternative to Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho.
But teammate Monreal believes the pair will be staying put for now and insists they remain fully committed to the Arsenal cause.
The defender said: “The feeling is that they will continue.
“At no time have we talked about the possibility of them leaving. Not at all. They are committed to the group and we will see what happens.
“I can’t say much about it. It does not depend on me. The situation is clear. They are two vital players for Arsenal. They are two players who end their contracts at the end of the season.
“If the club want them to stay beyond December [the January transfer window] they will follow.
“Yet, I do not know the club’s intentions. It is other people who are the ones who have to make a decision.”