Arsenal will look to bounce back from their weekend result as they resume Champions League action by hosting Shakhtar Donetsk.
Mikel Arteta was not happy with his side’s performance at the weekend, which saw Arsenal lose their unbeaten start to the campaign in all competitions as they get set to take on Shakhtar Donetsk this week. The Gunners were depleted to ten men midway through the first half when William Saliba was shown a straight red for blocking a clear goalscoring opportunity as Evanlison looked to go through on goal.
A sloppy backpass from Leandro Trossard created the moment for Saliba to react in the way he did, which had a big effect on proceedings from that moment. While Arsenal were seemingly decent in defending whatever came their way, a set-piece routine from a corner undid their backline, as Ryan Christie scored the opener. Another defensive error led to a penalty, from which Justin Kluivert converted.
The loss ensured Arsenal lost their unbeaten start to the campaign. They will now aim to bounce back in midweek as they host Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates. The Gunners are in a good position following two games in the competition, as they beat PSG in the fixture before this one. Arteta will want a good response from his players, especially ahead of the Liverpool clash at the weekend.
Shakhtar Donetsk manager Marino Pusic will want a response from his team to show they have what it takes to progress in this competition. After the first two rounds, Shakhtar only managed to collect a single point from their goalless draw to Bologna before being beaten comfortably by Atalanta with a 3-0 reverse scoreline.
They have since responded with two wins on the bounce in their domestic league, including a narrow 1-0 reverse over Kolos. There are question marks over whether Shakhtar are prepared to face Arsenal’s challenge, but Pusic will look to inflict more problems on Arteta, given how the weekend went for the Gunners.
Team News & Tactics
Arsenal
There are still some concerns within the Arsenal squad ahead of this home clash with Shakhtar Donetsk. Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber are closer to making a return than the other injured stars. However, Mikel Arteta may continue to lean towards caution and probably will not use the duo for this game.
At the weekend, Arteta used Sterling on the right to decent effect. But unfortunately, he had to be sacrificed following the Saliba red card. The on-loan attacker will get another chance to impress on that side, while the manager could keep Gabriel Martinelli on the bench. Saliba will keep his place in the backline alongside Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes.
Arteta could hand Oleksandr Zinchenko a start at left-back and allow Riccardo Calafiori to rest a bit. The Ukrainian is eager to get some minutes under his belt after a period on the sidelines. He was on the bench at the weekend, although the manager did not use him. There could be further changes as Arteta continues to find ways to manage the load on some of his players ahead of a crucial period.
Jorginho might come in for Thomas Partey, with Declan Rice and Mikel Merino keeping their places. Gabriel Jesus could also replace Kai Havertz, as the German might still be recovering from a knee issue picked in the Southampton clash before the international break, while Leandro Trossard should keep his place on the left wing.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Raya; Ben White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Jorginho, Merino; Sterling, Jesus, Trossard
Shakhtar Donetsk
Tymur Puzankov is the only known absentee for Shakhtar Donetsk. The fourth-choice goalkeeper is out for the long term with an ACL problem. It would not be as big a concern for them, as Marino Pusic could have all his other layers fit for selection ahead of the visit to Arsenal.
Pusic could continue lining up in his typical 4-1-4-1 formation, with Taras Stepanenko sitting at the base of the midfield. At the back, Valeriy Bondar and Mykola Matviyenko will assume their roles in the central defensive unit, with Yukhym Konoplya and Pedro Henrique taking on the full-back positions.
Ahead of Stepanenko, Pusic will field four midfielders. The highly rated the in-demand Georgiy Sudakov will assume the attacking midfield role, while Dmytro Kryskiv is likely to play a bit deeper and close to Stepanenko. Oleksandr Zubkov and Eguinaldo will provide the width, with Danylo Sikan set to lead the line for Shakhtar.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Riznyk; Konoplya, Bondar, Matviyenko, Henrique; Stepanenko; Zubkov, Kryskiv, Sudakov, Eguinaldo; Sikan
Key Stats
- All four UEFA Champions League meetings between Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk have been won by the home side, in the 2000/01 and 2010/11 group stages; the Gunners won 3-2 at Highbury in 2000 and 5-1 at the Emirates in 2010.
- Shakhtar Donetsk have failed to win any of their seven away UEFA Champions League matches in England, all in the group stages (D1 L6). They did avoid defeat on their last visit though, drawing 1-1 with Manchester City in November 2019.
- Arsenal have not lost a non-knockout home clash in the UEFA Champions League since September 2015
- Arsenal have kept a clean sheet in both of their games in the UEFA Champions League this season (0-0 vs Atalanta and 2-0 vs PSG). They last managed three clean sheets in a row in the competition back in September-November 2007 under Arsene Wenger (4).
- Shakhtar Donetsk are one of four teams that have yet to score in this season’s Champions League.
Player to Watch
Raheem Sterling
It was rather unfortunate for Sterling to be sacrificed following Saliba’s red card at the weekend, and to be fair to him, the on-loan attacker was bright as an outlet. He will likely get another chance to showcase his skills on the right wing this midweek as Mikel Arteta continues to manage Bukayo Saka’s fitness.
It is imperative for Sterling to show he can replace Saka when the winger is unavailable and provide a solid attacking outlet for Arteta’s side. Shakhtar Donetsk will be a good chance for him to sharpen his skills, and if Saka is deemed unfit to play against Liverpool, he could even start at the weekend.
Prediction
Arsenal 2-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
Shakhtar Donetsk will come to London under pressure to get back into a respectable position in the Champions League but might face a similar outcome to the last matchday. Marino Pusic’s men might face a big test at the Emirates, with the Gunners the overwhelming favourites to take three points on Tuesday evening.
Arsenal will also look for a significant response after their result over the weekend, as Arteta will likely use this game as a springboard to get ready for the Liverpool clash over the weekend. Despite the possibility of missing some of their key attacking stars for this one, the Gunners are well-placed to get a big win under their belt against Skahktar Donetsk.
