Wenger keeps van Persie on the bench for Olympiacos game

Robin van Persie was only named among the substitutes as Arsenal looked to earn their first Champions League Group F win of the season against Olympiacos at the Emirates Stadium tonight.

With one eye on Sunday’s north London derby at Tottenham, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger decided to leave the Dutchman on the substitutes’ bench and opted for Marouane Chamakh to start up front for the third time this season.

Wenger made six changes in total, one of which saw Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain make his Champions League debut against an Olympiacos team that included former Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg.

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Song, Andre Santos, Frimpong, Arteta, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arshavin, Chamakh.

Subs: Fabianski, Park, van Persie, Ramsey, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Coquelin.

Olympiacos: Costanzo, Torosidis, Mellberg, Marcano, Holebas, Orbaiz, Fejsa, Ibagaza, David Fuster, Djebbour, Mirallas.

Subs: Megyeri, Modesto, Pantelic, Papadopoulos, Makoun, Potouridis, Abdoun.

Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain)