SUMMER signings Geoff Cameron and Michael Kightly were handed home debuts in Stoke City’s first game of the new season at the Britannia Stadium.
American international Cameron, who only arrived in the country on Friday morning after completing his visa application, was brought in to the centre of midfield to replace Dean Whitehead who was serving a one match suspension.
While Kightly, having scored on his Premier League debut at Reading last weekend, was also included in the starting line-up to face Arsenal.
With Matthew Etherington unavailable due to injury, Jermaine Pennant’s inclusion was the other change to the Potters’ side named by Tony Pulis.
Other than those two changes, Pulis stuck to the line-up which opened the season with a 1-1 draw with Reading at the Madejski Stadium.
There was a major surprise in the Arsenal line-up with neither of their Polish international goalkeepers fit to take their places in the squad, meaning that Victor Mannone was brought in by manager Arsene Wenger to plug the gap.
Wenger was, however, to recall Mikel Arteta to his side, while England pair Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were on the bench along with Aaron Ramsey.
City: Begovic, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson, Pennant, Whelan, Cameron, Kightly, Crouch Walters. Subs: Sorensen, Palacios, Jones, Upson, Delap, Shotton, Jerome.
Arsenal: Mannone, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Arteta, Diaby, Cazorla, Podolski, Giroud, Gervinho. Subs: Santos, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Djourou, Coquelin, Martinez.
Referee: L. Mason