Eddie Nketiah stepped up in the absence of Gabriel Jesus as his strike helped Arsenal to draw 1-1 with Monaco before beating them 5-4 on penalties in the Emirates Cup.
Nketiah was named in Mikel Arteta's starting XI in place of the Brazilian, who missed out due to a knee injury and will be out of action for a few weeks.
"Unfortunately he has had a little procedure this morning," Arteta said post-match on the club's official website.
"He had some discomfort in his knee that has been causing some issues and they had to go in and resolve it. It's not something major, but he's going to be out for a few weeks I think."
Nketiah sneaked in at the far post to convert a corner that brought the hosts level after they fell behind to a Youssouf Fofana effort.
Gabi called, Eddie answered 📞 pic.twitter.com/uuiZGCoNAT
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 2, 2023
Leandro Trossard had a great opportunity to put Arsenal in front when he latched on to a sublime Jorginho pass before shooting straight at the Monaco goalkeeper.
Arteta gave Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber their first home appearances, while Kai Havertz played the final 30 minutes of the contest and converted from the spot in the shoot-out.
Arsenal face Manchester City in the Community Shield this Sunday before welcoming Nottingham Forest in the opening weekend of the Premier League on Saturday 12 August.
Line-up: (4-2-3-1) Ramsdale, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Tomiyasu; Partey, Rice; Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Vieira; Nketiah.
Liverpool's mixed performance
Liverpool tasted their first defeat of pre-season, going down 4-3 against Bayern Munich in Singapore.
In keeping with Liverpool's matches this summer so far, Jurgen Klopp's side were excellent going forward but showed fragility on several occasions in defence, leading 2-0 and 3-2 before going on to lose the contest.
Cody Gakpo put the Reds in front after only two minutes and then Virgil van Dijk, who this week replaced Jordan Henderson as captain, doubled their lead from a corner.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 2, 2023
Bayern brought the score level by half-time through former Premier League players Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane.
Liverpool then went in front again through Luis Diaz in the second half after being set up by Mohamed Salah, who has now produced six assists in pre-season so far, but were pegged back again after failing to clear a set-piece, before conceding in stoppage time.
There was one moment of concern for Klopp when summer signing Alexis Mac Allister went down holding his knee just before half-time, but the Reds manager allayed those fears post-match.
"Yeah, knee on knee. He could have played on," Klopp told the club's official website.
"When I spoke afterwards, he said, 'No, no, I would have been fine.' But we didn't want to go [with] any risks. It's just knee on knee, bruise, that's it. It was fine."
Liverpool have one pre-season match left against Darmstadt at Deepdale next Monday, before beginning their 2023/24 Premier League campaign at Chelsea on Sunday 13 August.
Line-up: (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Jota
Big defeat for Forest
Nottingham Forest's were on the wrong end of a 5-0 score to Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais at St George's Park in their latest pre-season fixture.
Steve Cooper named a strong starting XI that included Morgan Gibbs-White, Chris Wood, Remo Freuler and summer signings Anthony Elanga and Ola Aina.
After a quiet opening 30 minutes where the only chance fell to Wood, who hit the crossbar, Forest conceded two penalties before half-time which were both dispatched by Benjamin Bourigeaud.
Forest then conceded a third in the 52nd minute before shipping a fourth three minutes later, and then a fifth.
Cooper's side conclude their pre-season schedule against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, before starting their 2023/24 Premier League campaign at Arsenal.
Line-up: (4-3-3) Horvath; Aurier, McKenna, Worrall, Aina; Kouyate, Freuler, Gibbs-White; Elanga, Wood, Hwang Ui-jo
