Arsenal can progress into the knockout stages of the Champions League one game early if they can beat current Group D leaders Borussia Dortmund tonight.
The Gunners currently sit second in the group after defeating Galatasaray and Anderlecht, before drawing to the latter in a gutting 3-3 draw in the return leg at the Emirates.
Their opponents have managed to forget their torrid domestic form in the European competition and have a 100% record from 4 games, including a 2-0 win over Arsene Wenger’s side back at the start of the group campaign.
Arsenal are now without a win in 3 games in the Premier League after recording defeats to Swansea and most recently Manchester United since the draw with Belgian side Anderlecht, who can only qualify if they win their remaining 2 games while the North London side lose.
Team News
The injury list has grown significantly in the space of 4 days. The defeat to United cost Arsenal more than just 3 points, with Jack Wilshere sustaining a nasty looking ankle injury while Wojciech Szczesny also had to leave the field with a hip injury after clattering Kieran Gibbs.
Wilshere was left sprawling by United’s Paddy McNair and was brought off midway through the second half, and now fears have arisen that the England midfielder could be out for up to 4 months with yet another setback.
In more positive news, Arsene Wenger can welcome back French defender Laurent Koscielny after he spent two months on the sidelines with an Achilles injury, meaning Nacho Monreal will not be required to cover at centre-half.
Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck missed Monday’s training session ahead of Dortmund’s visit, casting doubt on whether the England duo would be fit in time for the game.
That gives Wenger even more of a selection headache as newly returned striker Olivier Giroud, who was not meant to be back until December, has not been registered in the Arsenal squad for the group stages and so is ineligible, leaving either Lukas Podolski or Yaya Sanogo to lead the line.
Emiliano Martinez is expected to be given the nod in goal, leaving academy product Ryan Huddart as the substitute goalkeeper.
Opponent Watch
Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund currently sit in the relegation play-off places in the Bundesliga having won just 3 of 12 games this season. Their 7 defeats is matched only by bottom placed side VfB Stuttgart.
Although they have been largely dreadful in the Bundesliga, their form has not been matched in the Champions League where they have conceded just once in all 4 games, scoring 13.
They came out on top when the sides met on matchday 1 of the group stages, where Ciro Immobile and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave the German side a 2-0 win.
Although, their awful form has seen a slight turn up in recent weeks with a draw with Padeborn following two wins over Galatasaray and Borussia Monchengladbach.
What They Said
Arsene Wenger
“We believe in ourselves, we have a great team spirit, we are not too concerned about what is said about us, we know what we are capable of doing. It’s just some fine-tuning.”
Aaron Ramsey
“Everybody's in it together, and we know all about our qualities. Last season we had a great year, this season we wanted to build on that and hopefully we still can."
Expected Line-up
Martinez, Chambers, Mertesacker, Monreal, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanchez, Cazorla, Sanogo.
