The Gunners warmed up for this weekend's Community Shield clash against Liverpool with a comfortable 4-1 pre-season friendly victory over third-tier opponents on Tuesday evening.
Mikel Arteta's FA Cup winners are back at Wembley on Saturday and the Spaniard will be pleased to have seen his side get a win under their belts in the build-up to that contest
Arsenal fielded a strong starting XI - featuring the likes of Bernd Leno, William Saliba and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - with a youthful bench at Stadium MK and opened the scoring inside five minutes when a mistake from MK Dons goalkeeper Lee Nicholls allowed Mohamed Elneny to fire home from distance.
Nketiah soon doubled that early advantage after good work from Cedric Soares and an incisive Bukayo Saka cut-back, but the hosts were still in the match at half-time after Rob Holding accidentally headed Regan Poole's cross beyond Leno and into his own net.
The second half often lacked fluency due to the number of changes made by both sides, but Arsenal pulled away late on as teenage defender Mark McGuinness headed home from a corner and Reiss Nelson netted from the penalty spot.
Relive all the action as it happened with Standard Sport's LIVE blog!
Can't see the MK Dons vs Arsenal LIVE: Pre-season friendly blog? Click here to view our desktop version.
How to watch
TV channel: The match will not be shown live on UK TV.
Live stream: MK Dons are broadcasting the match live on their official YouTube channel.
Prediction: MK Dons 1-3 Arsenal
The Gunners to increase confidence ahead of their Wembley return with a comfortable win in Buckinghamshire.
Read More
The Arsenal players have emerged from the tunnel at Stadium MK, wearing their familiar red and white home kit.
We should be under way very soon.
Arsenal confirm Saliba fitness boost
Photo: Getty Images
Here's Standard Sport's Simon Collings on that Arsenal injury update...
Arsenal have confirmed that William Saliba is fully fit to start the new season.
The defender had been struggling with a foot problem towards the back end of the last campaign on loan at Saint-Etienne.
The 19-year-old has now recovered, though, and Arsenal have confirmed he is fully fit for the new season.
While Saliba is fit, fellow centre-backs Calum Chambers, Pablo Mari and Shkodran Mustafi are still out injured.
Chambers ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Chelsea in December but hopes to be back in full training as soon as possible.
Mustafi, meanwhile, injured his hamstring against Manchester City in July and - after surgery - is aiming to return to full training in October.
Pablo Mari, who sprained his ankle ligaments in June, is now running outside and should return to training next month.
The longest of Arsenal’s absentees is forward Gabriel Martinelli, who had knee surgery in June after suffering an injury in training.
The youngster is currently in his native Brazil visiting family and following a tailored daily rehab and fitness programme.
Martinelli is due back in the UK on August 31 and he will then step up his rehab with the aim of a return to full training by the end of the calendar year.
Arsenal injury update
Photo: Getty Images
Arsenal have also issued a detailed injury update ahead of tonight's match.
Defenders Pablo Mari and Shkodran Mustafi are aiming to return to training in September and October respectively, while Calum Chambers continues to work hard on rehabbing his own knee injury.
William Saliba and Bernd Leno are fully fit - as their selection tonight shows - but highly-rated young striker Gabriel Martinelli is currently back in his native Brazil "visiting family and following a tailored daily rehab and fitness programme".
He is due to return to the UK on August 31, when he will step up his rehab ahead of a targeted return by the end of 2020.
Arteta names strong Arsenal XI
Photo: Getty Images
No messing around from Mikel Arteta, who names a strong starting XI for tonight's match.
Bernd Leno returns in goal after recovering from a knee injury that saw him miss the end of last season, while William Saliba lines up alongside Rob Holding in central defence as he looks to make a big impression following his return from Saint-Etienne.
Mohamed Elneny is given a chance from the off, while Ainsley Maitland-Niles starts despite being reportedly close to a move to Wolves.
Captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - whose new contract is yet to be officially confirmed - spearheads an attacking trio that also features Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka.
Looks like a 4-3-3 for Arsenal, who have brought a very youthful bench to Stadium MK.
Arsenal team
Starting XI: Leno; Cedric, Saliba, Holding, Tierney, Elneny, Xhaka, Maitland-Niles, Saka, Nketiah, Aubameyang
Bench: Macey, Ballard, McGuinness, Bola, Azeez, Cottrell, Olayinka, Oyegoke, Willock, Lewis, Nelson, Smith Rowe, John Jules
MK Dons team
Here's how Russell Martin's League One side line-up at Stadium MK this evening...
Twitter/@MKDons
Leno starting?
This leaked image suggests he might.
Confirmed line-up soon.
Team news
Photo: Getty Images
Standard Sport understands that attacking midfielder Emile Smith Rowe will be one of the talented youngsters involved for Arsenal tonight.
The 20-year-old academy graduate is set to be given the opportunity to make an impression on Mikel Arteta during pre-season following loan spells at RB Leipzig and Huddersfield Town.
Will he take his chance?
Team news
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is in attendance, confirmed on his Instagram Live, while Mohamed Elneny is reportedly part of the squad.
It should be a good mix of experience and youth tonight as Mikel Arteta prepares for Saturday's Community Shield against Liverpool.
Hello and welcome to the Evening Standard's LIVE coverage of the pre-season friendly between MK Dons and Arsenal at stadium:mk.
