Francis Coquelin reveals centre-back training as Arsenal aim to solve mini-crisis

The club have lost Per Mertesacker to an injury which could rule him out for around five months while Laurent Koscielny will not make the start of the season as he recovers from Euro 2016.

Gabriel Paulista and Calum Chambers are expected to play together against Liverpool on the opening day, but ahead of Thursday’s friendly against MLS All-Stars, Arsene Wenger was trying something a bit different in training in California.

And it was revealed on Snapchat, no less, with Jack Wilshere manning the Arsenal account and enquiring of Coquelin how training had been going.

“Been playing centre-back,” Coquelin said to camera, “been bossing it – you know what I mean?”

Coquelin has played at centre-midfield in the past two seasons but played at right-back when he first broke into the Arsenal team.