Arsenal vs Ludogorets. UEFA Champions League Group A.
Emirates StadiumAttendance59,944.
Wednesday 19 October 2016 18:47, UK
Arsenal will be looking to avoid a Champions League slip-up against Bulgarian champions Ludogorets on Wednesday as they look to take control of Group A.
Following a battling 1-1 draw away to Paris Saint-Germain and 2-0 win over Swiss side Basel at the Emirates, Arsenal find their destiny in their own hands in terms of finishing top of the group.
Arsene Wenger's men haven't remained unbeaten in their first three Champions League group games since 2011/12, and have been handed tough knockout matches due their inability to win their group.
Arsenal go into the match on the back of narrow 3-2 win over Swansea in the Premier League, which was their sixth straight victory in all competitions.
Ludogorets stand in their way of making it seven wins on the bounce and Arsenal will take confidence from the fact the Bulgarians have only recorded one win in their eight previous Champions League matches (D2 L5).
Gunners midfielder Francis Coquelin fully understands the importance of Wedneday's clash.
"It's a massive game, especially as it is at home," he said.
"We know we're going to have two more tough games away too, against Ludogorets and Basel, plus a home game against Paris Saint-Germain. So it's massively important to get the three points on Wednesday."
Team news
Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey both trained on Tuesday but manager Arsene Wenger wants to give them longer to recover from respective toe and hamstring injuries.
David Ospina will replace Petr Cech in goal as he has done in the previous two Champions League outings while Per Mertesacker and Danny Welbeck (both knee) are still absent.
Opta stats
This is the first competitive meeting between Arsenal and Ludogorets.
It's also the first time Arsenal are facing Bulgarian opposition, in all competitions.
Liverpool are the only previous English club to face Ludogorets; it was in the 2014/15 Champions League group stages. The Bulgarian side lost 2-1 at Anfield and drew 2-2 in Sofia.
CSKA Sofia are the only Bulgarian club to win an away game against English opposition in the European Cup/Champions League; it was in October 1980 against Nottingham Forest (1-0). Since then, clubs from Bulgaria have lost their four visits to England in this competition.
Ludogorets have won none of their four away games in the Champions League (D1 L3).
Arsenal have lost just three of their last 39 home games in the Champions League group stages, winning 30 and drawing six.
Arsenal have found the net at least twice in their last eight Champions League group games at the Emirates, keeping five clean sheets in that run.
All of the last four goals converted by Arsenal have seen the direct involvement of Alexis Sanchez (three assists and one scored).
In fact, the last five at home by Arsenal have also seen Alexis directly involved (two scored and three assists).
Charlie Nicholas' prediction
I think the feeling in the team is that there's a little bit more steel about Arsenal after those hard-fought wins against Burnley and Swansea. It doesn't always have be spectacular and the momentum keeps building.
They've shown an ability to dig in a bit, even though there's still a defensive vulnerability, to win games where they might have previously dropped points.
Where Arsenal are really strong is when Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott run beyond Alexis Sanchez and take defenders into areas where they're not really comfortable.
Matchday three always seems to be a pretty uncomfortable one for Arsenal, though. It's often been when they tend to get the strongest sides in the group and it's make-or-break, but I'm expecting a comfortable night in the Soccer Special studio, with just a win or two probably needed to make qualification certain.
Charlie predicts: 4-0 and Alexis Sanchez to score first 18/1
Betting
Arsenal are 1/6 shots for victory with Sky Bet with the Bulgarian's chances of victory rated as slim at 18/1.
Both Nicholas and Jamie Redknapp fancy Sanchez to open the scoring and punters can get 11/4 on the in-form frontman firing in the first goal. He's 9/1 to score a hat-trick.
