The Dubai Super Cup kicks off on Thursday, as ourselves, Liverpool, Lyon and AC Milan head to the Middle East to continue preparations ahead of the return of club football following the World Cup.
The tournament has some unique and quirky rules, so before we kick off the competition when we take on the French side on Thursday, here is everything you need to know:
When are the fixtures?
In total there will be four matches, with each team playing twice during the tournament:
- Thursday, December 8: Arsenal v Lyon (15:30 GMT)
- Sunday, December 11: Liverpool v Lyon (14:00 GMT)
- Tuesday, December 13: Arsenal v AC Milan (14:00 GMT)
- Friday, December 16: Liverpool v AC Milan (15:30 GMT)
Where is it being held?
All four of the matches are being held at the Al Maktoum Stadium, home of Al Nasr who are considered to be the oldest club in the UAE.
The ground was initially opened in 1981 but was renovated in 2018 ahead of the AFC Asian Cup the following year where it hosted six matches. It has a capacity of 15,058, and has also hosted occasional home games for the UAE national side.
Have we played there before?
We actually provided the opposition for the stadium’s official unveiling following its revamp, when we took on Al Nasr in March 2019.
Goals from Carl Jenkinson, Alexandre Lacazette and Tyreece John-Jules saw us recover from going a goal down, and despite a late consolation for the hosts, we ran out 3-2 victors.
How does it work?
After each match, a penalty shootout will also take place for additional points to be gained.
Points are awarded as follows:
- A win is worth three points
- A draw will see each team earn two points
- A penalty shootout will be held after every match, with the winning team earning an extra point
The team with the most points from their two matches will win the competition.
Who is in our squad?
We have named a 27-man squad for the competition, including 13 members of our under-21 squad - find out more about all of them
Goalkeepers: Karl Hein, Hubert Graczyk, James Hillson
Defenders: Kieran Tierney, Cedric Soares, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Lino Sousa, Reuell Walters, Gabriel, Rob Holding, Taylor Foran, Zane Monlouis
Midfielders: Sambi Lokonga, Mohamed Elneny, , Matt Smith, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith-Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Catalin Cirjan
Attackers: Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Marquinhos, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Charles Sagoe Jr, Amario Cozier-Duberry
How can I watch it?
You’ll be able to stream our matches against Lyon and AC Milan on Arsenal.com and the official app.
Our usual matchday coverage will begin with Breakdown Live, starting 30 minutes before each game and providing all the need-to-know information ahead of the games, with live commentary accompanying the match action.
For all the best coverage, you can purchase a pass now for both games for just £9.99, or individually for £5.99.
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