Out the players come into the chilly evening Emirates air, following along behind an Italian officiating team led by Davide Massa.

Born in Islington, Myles Lewis-Skelly has been at Arsenal for nearly a decade already and is rapidly making strides at senior level. Usually a midfielder, how will he go at left-back tonight?

This is Monaco’s first meeting with English opposition since their thrilling Round of 16 encounter with Manchester City, a two-legged tie that really announced the arrival of Kylian Mbappe as a force on the European stage. We’d take that sort of game tonight.

Many lives will be put at risk by the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, human rights campaign group Amnesty International has warned.

Miguel Delaney is at the Emirates for us tonight, ready to tuck in to some footballing action after a day dominated by a rather significant story.

“They’re a really good side, you see the run they’ve been on in the Champions League and in the league, especially against top opposition, so a real threat. A team that is superbly well organised, really intense, really good in transition moments as well with a lot of quality, so it’s going to be a very good test for us.

“We have a really good link as well with Arsene [Wenger], Thierry [Henry] as well. There’s a big history there. It’s a very special club, a special place, so we welcome them here and will hopefully be better than them to try to win the game.”

It is a bit of a surprise to see Kieran Tierney given the comments of his manager yesterday.

“He is ready, he’s training really well and he’s going to have an opportunity for sure,” Mikel Arteta said of Tierney. “The way the team is looking at the moment, he is going to do that for that reason and because he’s earned it. The way he’s behaved, the way he’s been with us because he’s willing to do it and when that happens, you have to give those opportunities to players.”

“It will obviously be a very big match for us, but we are here in London to showcase our style of play; committed football. It is difficult to face us, and we will be on the lookout for any opportunity. We don’t just want to be good opponents.

“They are very strong at set pieces, it’s a real weapon for them. They train a lot on this, but we have an idea of ​​how we should defend them. And we can also be a threat to them in this area, because we too are very efficient.”

With no Denis Zakaria, Soungoutou Magassa is handed a starting midfield role for the visitors.

Monaco XI: Majecki; Vanderson, Salisu, Kehrer, Henrique; Magassa, Camara; Akliouche, Ben Seghir, Golovin; Embolo.

Youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly makes just his second senior start for Arsenal with the 18-year-old picked ahead of Kieran Tierney at left-back. Gabriel Jesusr leads the line.

Arsenal XI: Raya; Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.

Subs: Neto, Setford, Timber, Tierney, Robinson, Heaven, Monlouis, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling, Havertz.