ARSENAL have shared pictures of their socially distanced dressing room ahead of this afternoon’s match at Brighton, offering an insight into how stars are maintaining safety protocols behind the scenes.
Used to the luxurious dressing rooms of the Emirates, facilities today for Gunners stars are back to basics.
Gone are the spacious lockers, benches and even places to hang up their shirts.
Instead, in a plain-white room, Arsenal players have their shirts folded over their chairs – with shorts and socks sat on each seat.
Boots, meanwhile, are beneath the basic chairs.
All positions are spaced at least two-metres apart.
Players also have sliders for moving around the dressing room.
While the changing areas certainly have a minimalist feel, there is still room for the obligatory tactics board – enabling boss Mikel Arteta to show off this afternoon’s 4-2-3-1.
One man that will be in the dressing room is Mesut Ozil, having been restored to the substitutes’ bench.
The German, 31, was omitted from the 20-man squad altogether for the mid-week trip to Manchester City – but could play a part today on the South Coast.
Meanwhile, Arteta has opted to reintroduce Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe to his more attacking starting XI, with Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock dropping to the bench.
As expected, Dani Ceballos replaces the injured Granit Xhaka at the heart of the midfield, while Rob Holding is in for the stricken Pablo Mari.
Arsenal could leapfrog neighbours Spurs in the table this afternoon – while going within three points of fifth-placed Manchester United in the process.
