Arsene Wenger switched to a back-three defence for the EFL Cup final, having beaten Manchester City at Wembley with the system in last season's FA Cup semi-finals.
The Gunners had deployed a 4-3-3 for much of the past few weeks, but Wenger returned to an old gameplan at the national stadium.
Rob Holding was the surprise inclusion last season and Calum Chambers was the eye-catching name alongside Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi this time around.
Aaron Ramsey supported striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with Mesut Ozil, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan ineligible.
Leroy Sane started for City, having recovered quicker than expected from ankle ligament damage, but Gabriel Jesus was only fit for the bench, with Sergio Aguero named in attack, having scored against the Gunners at Wembley last term.
Both Wenger and opposite number Pep Guardiola stuck to their guns in naming their back-up goalkeeper, with David Ospina and Claudio Bravo getting the nod.
25 February 2018
25 February 2018
Arsenal: Ospina; Koscielny, Mustafi, Chambers; Bellerin, Xhaka, Wilshere; Ozil, Ramsey; Aubameyang.
Manchester City: Bravo; Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Danilo; Fernandinho; David Silva, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Sane; Aguero.