Hoyte in for Gunners
Justin Hoyte made only his second Barclays Premiership start for Arsenal after Lauren failed a fitness test on a knee injury ahead of their New Year’s Day game at Charlton.
Lauren joined Dennis Bergkamp, Jose Antonio Reyes, Gilberto Silva, Edu and Pascal Cygan on the injury list, while Robert Pires was rested from the starting line-up.
That brought not only Hoyte, but also French Under-21 international full-back Gael Clichy, into the side, while Robin van Persie continued in attack and 17-year-old Cesc Fabregas came into midfield.
Charlton included former Arsenal trainee Jerome Thomas, who was signed for £100,000 last February, in an unchanged line-up, with Francis Jeffers and Kevin Lisbie both still sidelined.
Charlton: Kiely, Young, El Karkouri, Fortune, Hreidarsson, Rommedahl, Murphy, Kishishev, Holland, Thomas, Bartlett. Subs: Euell, Andersen, Konchesky, Hughes, Johansson.
Arsenal: Almunia, Hoyte, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Ljungberg, Fabregas, Vieira, Clichy, Henry, Van Persie. Subs: Lehmann, Pires, Senderos, Pennant, Larsson.
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire)
