Charlie Patino expected to make his debut against Tottenham Hotspur.
The teenager made his second appearance in the FA Cup third-round loss against Nottingham Forest last week.
His first appearance came against Sunderland in the quarter-final victory of the Carabao Cup where he scored on his debut.
With Granit Xhaka suspended and a number of first-team players currently on international duty, Arteta would likely deploy Patino alongside Lokonga at the heart of midfield.
“The lad Charlie Patino played the other day – I felt sorry for him,” Merson said on Sky Sports before the Liverpool game.
“If you’re going to make your debut for a big club like Arsenal you’ve got to be around top draw players, you can’t come into a team of bit-part players and people looking after their own job.
“You’ve got to be fair on the youngster. You’ve got to play him in a team where you’ve got experience around you. Even if it’s one experienced midfield player, like a Xhaka, who can talk to you through the game. I felt sorry for him and the younger lads in the team.”
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