Arsene Wenger is planning significant rotation for Arsenal’s Europa League debut on Thursday night, with Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud in line for their first starts of the season.

Alexis Sanchez is also likely to be involved against Cologne at the Emirates as he tries to build match fitness following such a disjointed beginning to the season but Wenger is especially mindful of the looming Premier League match against Chelsea on Sunday lunchtime.

He was already expected to treat the Europa League more like the League Cup than the Champions League in his team selections and his priority this season is to get Arsenal back into the Premier League’s top four and mount a sustained title challenge. It is Arsenal's first season out of the Champions League since 1997-98.