On Champions League league phase Matchday 3, Arsenal will bid to move into the Champions League’s top eight on Tuesday night as they host Shakhtar Donetsk in a match where they will be heavy favorites to win and win well. The Gunners, out to make amends after their defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday, have started well in the league phase but will know that if they are to avoid the spring knockout round they cannot afford to fritter away many points at Emirates Stadium.
Shakhtar, meanwhile, have taken one point from meetings with Italian sides Bologna and Atalanta. The Ukrainian champions have split their four past meetings with Arsenal two wins apiece with both sides victorious in their home games. Indeed Shakhtar are winless in seven Champions League visits to England. They will do well to change that on Tuesday. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:
Arsenal: With Martin Odegaard closing in, but not quick enough for Tuesday’s game, the key selection headaches for Arteta are two who missed the defeat to Bournemouth, Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber. Neither were seen in training on Monday and with Liverpool looming on Sunday it seems plausible that both might just be held in reserve.
“Bukayo and Martin are both closer and are both progressing well,” said Arteta. “Martin won’t be fit for tomorrow, with Bukayo let’s see how he does in training later. It’s going to be close with Jurrien. We’ll have to see how he deals with training with the whole group because he hasn’t done that yet.”
Given that it makes for a reunion with his former club, Oleksandr Zinchenko could come in at left back, ensuring that Riccardo Calafiori is able to rest up for his looming encounter with Mohamed Salah.
Possible Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Merino; Sterling, Havertz, Trossard, Martinelli
Shakhtar Donestk: It is a relatively clean bill of Marino Pusic on his way to London with only long-term absentee Tymur Puzankov ruled out so far due to a cruciate ligament injury. After a slow start to the season Shakhtar have begun building momentum in domestic competition, battling their way to a 1-0 win at Kolos on Friday, a result that leaves them fourth in the Ukrainian top flight. Georgiy Sudakov could well be a danger man for the visitors.
Possible Shakhtar XI: Riznyk; Konoplia, Bondar, Matvienko, Henrique; Stepanenko; Zubkov, Kryskiv, Sudakov, Marlon; Eguinaldo
This is one of the more mismatched games of the round and Arsenal should be strong favorites to pick up a big win. PICK: Arsenal 3, Shakhtar Donetsk 0
All times Eastern
