Midfielder Samir Nasri and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski could make their first appearances of the season following injury in Arsenal's Carling Cup fourth-round tie against Liverpool.
Manager Arsene Wenger is expected to again send out a mixture of experience and youth, with Philippe Senderos and veteran Mikael Silvestre likely to start in defence.
Mexican forward Carlos Vela, Sanchez Watt, who scored in the last round against West Brom, Fran Merida, Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey, along with England Under-21 duo Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere could all feature.
Meanwhile, Wenger believes Ramsey can rise to the challenge and stake his claim for a regular first-team place by leading the young Gunners to victory.
Ramsey will turn 19 on Boxing Day, and Wenger believes the former Cardiff trainee has come a long way since his #5million move during the summer of 2008, scoring in the 4-1 Barclays Premier League win over Portsmouth as well as playing in Europe.
"If you consider he is only 18, Ramsey has developed exceptionally well," said the Arsenal manager.
"He has made a big improvement compared to last year, when he still looked a little bit like a youth player, but now he looks like a [first-team] player.
"He is really pushing hard - and the other midfielders have a lot of work to keep him out of the side because he is getting very close.
"The target I set him at the start of the season was to get between 15 and 20 games this year, and I think he will get that."
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is out of the fourth-round tie, but should have recovered from his groin problem to play in Saturday's Barclays Premier League game at Fulham.
The Reds will be without suspended midfielder Javier Mascherano, while #20million Italy international Alberto Aquilani is named in a first-team squad for the first time since his summer move, having now recovered fully from an ankle operation.
Martin Kelly (ankle) and Albert Riera (hamstring) are out, while defenders Andrea Dossena and Sotirios Kyrgiakos could both figure having recovered from injuries, the latter defying an initial prognosis he could face six months out with a knee injury.
Boss Rafael Benitez has made it clear Aquilani - the man he bought to replace Xabi Alonso - will begin his senior career with the Anfield club at the Emirates Stadium.
Benitez said: "He will be with us. He is improving his fitness, so he's in the squad.
"He cannot start at this moment but he will be there and maybe we can give him some minutes. If it's possible, we will try to use him."
Benitez believes the Italy international will add a new dimension to his midfield.
He said: "We can see in every training session that he has quality, game intelligence and good movements. He is a different kind of player for us.
"We talk about using Steven Gerrard deeper sometimes, but maybe in Aquilani we have a player who can play there and pass the ball really well in the final third."
