AC Milan vs Arsenal Confirmed XIs: Full strength Gunners in Italy

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has picked his strongest available XI for the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 clash with Serie A giants AC Milan.

The Gunners are now prioritising the Europa League as their best route into next season’s Champions League after falling 13 points adrift of the top four with nine league matches remaining.

This meeting with Milan comes at the complete wrong time for an underfire Wenger, as the Italian side are currently in the best form they have showed all season.

Even with the likes of Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the starting XI, it by no means guarantees a positive result in Italy as the Gunners have lost five of their last six matches in all competitions.

By contrast, Milan have won six in a row and are unbeaten in their last 13 matches in all competitions. Furthermore, Gennaro Gattuso’s side have kept clean sheets in each of their last six outings.

Former Milan striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is not eligible for Arsenal in the Europa League due to the fact his former employers Borussia Dortmund dropped down into the competition.

With Alexandre Lacazette also sidelined with a knee injury, Danny Welbeck will have another opportunity to lead the line. The former Manchester United striker has only scored in two of his last 23 appearances for the Gunners.

Elsewhere, Hector Bellerin has failed to shake off a knee injury in time meaning that Calum Chambers has been tasked with another opportunity at right-back.

Arsenal will also face a full-strength Milan side, who have had extra time to prepare and rest for this match after the Milan derby was postponed last weekend.