Arsenal will put their weekend Premier League disappointment to one side as they look to build on their impressive victory over Paris Saint-Germain last time out in the Champions League.
Shakhtar Donetsk make the trip on Tuesday to the Emirates Stadium, where Mikel Arteta’s side dispatched PSG 2-0 thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka in their last outing in UEFA’s premier club competition.
Saka has scored five goals from eight shots on target in this season’s competition – since the start of last season, no player has overperformed their expected goals total by more than his +3.27 (five goals from 1.73 xG).
It remains to be seen whether Saka will feature for this clash, though, after his omission from Saturday’s squad that suffered a 2-0 league defeat away to Bournemouth. William Saliba was sent off in that clash, but will be available in the European competition.
Changes aplenty could be on the cards for Arsenal, though, and Gabriel Jesus will hope to add to an impressive record against Tuesday’s opponents should he start, having scored four Champions League goals against Shakhtar. That includes a hat-trick in November 2018 against the Ukrainian side, though all four came while playing for Manchester City.
Arteta could freshen things up at the back as well, though he will certainly be keen to record a third clean sheet in this Champions League campaign (also drawing 0-0 against Atalanta). The Gunners haven’t managed that feat in the competition since a four-game run under Arsène Wenger from September to November 2007.
It is hard to imagine anything other than a home win considering Arsenal’s recent form, and Shakhtar’s struggles, as well as the head-to-head record between these two teams.
All four Champions League meetings between this pair have been won by Arsenal, with Tuesday’s hosts winning 3-2 at Highbury in 2001 and 5-1 at the Emirates in 2010.
