TEAM NEWS: Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott return to Arsenal XI for Reading trip

Dec 17, 2012 7:30:00 PM

The Gunners are looking to atone for their shock defeat to Bradford City in the Capital One Cup and face a Royals side currently bottom of the Premier League

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott return to the Arsenal line-up for the Gunners' trip to face Reading on Monday evening.

The pair replace Gervinho and Francis Coquelin in the starting XI whilst Mikel Arteta also returns at the expense of Aaron Ramsey.

Meanwhile, Reading boss Brian McDermott has handed starts to Pavel Pogrebnyak, Jimmy Kebe and Kaspar Gorkss in place of Adam Le Fondre, Gareth McCleary and Alex Pearce respectively.

Arsene Wenger's men will be looking to bounce back from their shock defeat to Bradford City in the Capital One Cup, and face a Royals side who sit bottom of the Premier League.

The hosts have only won one league game this season, and suffered a demoralising 3-0 defeat to Sunderland last time out.

Reading starting XI: Federici; Cummings, Shorey, Gorkss, Mariappa; Leigertwood, Tabb, Kebe, McAnuff; Hunt, Pogrebnyak.
Subs: Taylor, Gunter, Harte, Pearce, McCleary, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre.

Arsenal: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Arteta, Wilshere, Cazorla; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Podolski.
Subs: Mannone, Koscielny, Coquelin, Ramsey, Rosicky, Giroud, Gervinho.

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