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Crystal Palace vs Arsenal team news: Hector Bellerin and Alexis Sanchez come in for the Gunners

The match kicks off at 1.30pm

James Orr
Sunday 16 August 2015 12:47 BST
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Alexis Sanchez (left) in action for Arsenal last weekend
Alexis Sanchez (left) in action for Arsenal last weekend (GETTY IMAGES)

Arsene Wenger has made two changes to his Arsenal team that were stunned 2-0 by West Ham last weekend for today's match at Crystal Palace - bringing in Alexis Sanchez for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Hector Bellerin for Mathieu Debuchy.

Sanchez was given an extended break after his heroics for Chile at the Copa America during the summer, and only returned to training on 3 August.

The 26-year-old made a 23 minute cameo in the loss to West Ham last Sunday, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute.

For Palace, who won 3-1 at Norwich City on the opening day, two changes have also been made. Connor Wickham makes his start for the club after his £9m switch from Sunderland, coming in for Glenn Murray, while Yanick Bolasie replaces Jordon Mutch.

Teams

Crystal Palace: McCarthy; Ward, Dann Delaney, Souare; Zaha, McArthur, Cabaye, Puncheon, Bolasie; Wickham.

The Gunners have not started a season with successive league defeats since the first Premier League season of 1992-93.

They, however, unbeaten in their last 12 visits to Selhurst Park in all competitions.

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