19 July 2023 , 14:17
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Mikel Arteta's Arsenal will take on an ensemble cast of MLS stars led by Wayne Rooney at a showpiece exhibition match in Washington D.C.
Last year's Premier League runners-up have embarked on a whistle-stop tour of the United States as they look to prepare for the upcoming campaign. Dates with old rivals Manchester United and Spanish giants Barcelona are in the diary stateside but the Gunners will kick things off with a unique friendly versus the MLS All-Stars.
The tradition of the cream of the US league taking on an international club side has been in place since 1996, with the North Londoners having played in the game back in 2016, edging that encounter 2-1. This time, a run out at Audi Field beckons for Arteta's exciting outfit, with the two teams having faced off in the intriguing spectacle that is the All-Star Challenge previously.
The Arsenal players who did take part in the series of activities in question did eventually reign victorious over the representatives from MLS but they were certainly made to work for the win. In fact, new signing Kai Havertz did not shower himself in glory during one particular installment, becoming the first participant in history to fail to find the net during a cross-and-volley challenge.
All in all, the Gunners' ten competitors won four out of the five activities versus their rivals from MLS, with the likes of Folarin Balogun, Jurrien Timber, Jorginho and Aaron Ramsdale among the contributors. On the other side, former Liverpool and Aston Villa forward Christian Benteke took to the field alongside World Cup winner Thiago Almada, ex-Barcelona starlet Riqui Puig and one-time Bundesliga stalwart Roman Bürki.
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Proceedings will take on a more traditional tone as the two teams face each other in a friendly match and we have all the details below on the fixture. Mirror Sport has put together this tell-all guide ahead of the exhibition clash...
When is the match?
The match will take place at 1:30 BST, which is 20:30 ET and 17:30 PT. It will take place on July 20 (BST) and the two teams will face off at Audi Field in Washington D.C.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 18: Kai Havertzof Arsenal takes part in the MLS All-Stars Skills Challenge at Audi Field on July 18, 2023 in Washington, DC.How to watch
The match itself will be shown on Apple TV, via their MLS Pass streaming service and this can be obtained in the UK, the US and Canada. You can obtain this service on a trial basis on a monthly plan on tv.apple.com.
Team news
All-Stars head coach Rooney will have a plethora of stars to choose from as he takes charge of the MLS dream team for the first time, having already played in the fixture on two occasions. He will have Djordje Petrovic at his disposal in goal, who will be of particular interest to Premier League supporters due to recent speculation linking him with a move to Manchester United.
New England Revolution goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic has been linked with a move to Premier League giants Manchester United. (Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)It would not be a major surprise to see Bürki get the nod instead in this position, however, given his wealth of experience and solid reputation having played in Germany's top flight for eight years. Ahead of him, spectators will be eager to catch a glimpse of Almada, who triumphed alongside Lionel Messi for Argentina in Qatar last year.
Gunners supporters will be aware of the threat posed by former Premier League target man Benteke as well, with the journeyman Belgian having turned out for a number of years in the English top flight. A run-out for LA Galaxy's Puig may be in store also, with the Spanish attacking midfielder having previously turned out for Barcelona.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 18: Kai Havertz #29 of Arsenal FC competes during the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge between Arsenal FC and MLS All-Stars at Audi Field on July 18, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)For Arsenal, supporters will be excited to potentially catch a glimpse of several of Arteta's newest recruits, with midfielder Declan Rice and defender Timber having travelled to the US. Havertz may also start for the Gunners as he looks to kickstart his career with the Emirates Stadium outfit following a mixed spell with Chelsea.
The North Londoners will be without a couple of key men, however, with Martin Odegaard the standout absentee, along with fringe players Leandro Trossard and Reiss Nelson.