Henry on the bench for Arsenal
Arsenal’s record goalscorer Thierry Henry has been named on the bench for tonight’s FA Cup third-round clash with Leeds at the Emirates Stadium.
The 34-year-old, starting a two-month loan back at the club where he scored 226 goals in 370 appearances, has been promised some involvement by manager Arsene Wenger, who has handed a start to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as one of five changes from the side that lost to Fulham last Monday.
Captain and leading scorer Robin van Persie has been rested, while Theo Walcott drops down to the bench where he was joined by young goalkeeper Damian Martinez, who was given the nod as Wojciech Szczesny’s back-up ahead of Manuel Almunia.
Leeds manager Simon Grayson could not finding a starting place for Ross McCormack, whose winning goal against Burnley last time out ended a four-game winless run, with Luciano Becchio the sole starting survivor from when the two sides met at the same stage of the competition last season.
Arsenal: Szczesny, Koscielny, Miquel, Squillaci, Coquelin, Arteta, Song, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chamakh, Arshavin.
Subs: Martinez, Park, Henry, Walcott, Benayoun, Miyaichi, Yennaris.
Leeds: Lonergan, Thompson, Lees, O’Dea, White, Townsend, Pugh, Nunez, Clayton, Becchio, Vayrynen.
Subs: Taylor, Bruce, Brown, Sam, Forssell, Parker, McCormack.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg.
