Arsenal vs Lyon LIVE: Latest updates as Arteta’s side face French giants in pre-season friendly – stream, team news

Saka and Rice start for Arsenal

The return of a Friendly face

Just like Granit Xhaka with Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, today's game will see another player with a deep-rooted connection to Arsenal return to the club.

This time it's Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who spent 20 years with the Gunners having joined as a six-year-old.

After several loan spells away, he finally departed permanently for Lyon last summer and made 29 appearances throughout his first season in France.

The versatile player - now 26 years of age - appeared 132 times for the senior side during his time with Arsenal including 72 games in the Premier League.

Summer fun for Gunners

This afternoon's encounter marks the last of Arsenal's pre-season encounters, and Mikel Arteta can be pleased with the way his squad have been preparing for the challenges ahead.

On the club's tour of America, the Gunners chalked up a win, a draw, and a defeat against Premier League rivals before that eye-catching display against Bayer Leverkusen back in London on Wednesday.

• Arsenal 1-1 Bournemouth (Los Angeles)
• Arsenal 2-1 Man Utd (Los Angeles)
• Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal (Philadelphia)
• Arsenal 4-1 Bayer Leverkusen (H)
• Arsenal v Lyon (H)

Up for the Emirates Cup!

Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of Arsenal's pre-season clash with Lyon.

But this isn't just any summer friendly, this is the Emirates Cup.

Yes, the invitational football competition hosted by the Gunners returns for its 13th year, and today sees Mikel Arteta's men face the French giants.

And Olympique Lyonnais arrive with some pedigree as the last club other than Arsenal to lift the trophy, winning 2-1 here back in 2019.

Laurent Blanc masterminded the success that day, and this year it's the turn of Pierre Sage to bring his side to the capital.

The coach will be without a number of French Olympic stars including Alexandre Lacazette, but he does have another former Gunner in Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Arsenal were excellent in their last outing at the Emirates, thrashing Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 on Wednesday.

It's a 2pm kick-off today in North London, and team news is on the way.