Dundalk vs Arsenal preview: Europa League preview, team news, stats, kick-off time

Team news and stats ahead of Dundalk vs Arsenal in the Europa League group stage on Thursday (kick-off 5.55pm).

Team news

Arsenal will show wholesale changes for their Europa League game away to Dundalk.

With the Gunners already through as group winners, boss Mikel Arteta is likely to blood some young talent with a host of first-team regulars in line for a rest.

Thomas Partey (thigh) is missing while captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has not travelled with the squad. The likes of Alex Runarsson, Calum Chambers and Eddie Nketiah will be hopeful of starting the game.

Dundalk are set to have a full squad available for the visit of Arsenal.

Who needs what?

Arsenal have already won the group, while Dundalk have been eliminated.

• Europa League news | Fixtures | Tables
• Europa League last 32 draw: Dates and teams

How to follow

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• This will be the second European encounter between Dundalk and Arsenal, with the Gunners winning 3-0 on MD2 of this season's UEFA Europa League.
• In all European competition, Dundalk are winless in seven matches against English teams (D1 L6), scoring two goals while shipping 24.
• Arsenal are unbeaten in eight away major UEFA European games (W6 D2), their longest run since March 1995 (also eight in a row). The Gunners have never gone nine without a defeat on the road.
• Dundalk have lost nine of their last 10 home major UEFA European matches (W1), losing four in a row in the Europa League since winning 1-0 against Maccabi Tel Aviv in September 2016.
• Arsenal are looking to win six consecutive major UEFA European matches (excluding qualifiers) for the first time since November 2005.

Pitch to Post Weekend Review podcast

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Arsenal's derby defeat means they sit 11 points behind Tottenham with just over a quarter of the season gone. Has the gulf in north London ever been this large?

Jasper Taylor is joined by Dharmesh Sheth and Gerard Brand to discuss Spurs' continued fine form, as well as assessing Arsenal's lack of creativity as we ask: was Mikel Arteta expecting the Gunners to sign Houssem Aouar in the summer? And did he oust Mesut Ozil too early?

Sky Sports' digital journalist Oliver Yew also joins the show to give his first-hand experience of fans returning to stadiums, and Kaveh Solhekol is on the Regional Review to talk all things West Ham.

And in part four, we discuss Sheffield United's woes as they prop up the table following the worst-ever start by any club to a Premier League campaign.

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