This statistic augurs well for Arsenal in their game against Sporting

By Danong 

Arsenal are back in action on Wednesday, with the Gunners hosting Portuguese heavyweights Sporting CP at the Emirates Stadium.

Yes, the Gunners head into this game with an advantage, a 1-0 lead in the tie, but that is arguably the trickiest lead they could hold in a Champions League knockout clash.

Sporting have reached this stage entirely on merit, and should Arsenal slip, they could easily turn things around and knock them out. Notably, the Primeira Liga outfit have failed to score in just one competitive away game all season.

Arsenal fans simply could not handle a Wednesday night Champions League heartbreak, not after that disappointing Saturday defeat, losing 2-1 to Bournemouth.

Mikel Arteta and his side will need to bring their A-game, yet doing so will be made harder by the absence of several key players.

A disappointing update from Arsenal's training ground confirms that Declan Rice was nowhere to be seen in their latest training session.

The Englishman joins a growing absentee list that already includes Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, and Riccardo Calafiori.

Even so, Arteta can still field a strong side that should be capable of handling Sporting.

That team could look like this:

Raya

White, Gabriel, Saliba, Lewis-Skelly

Nørgaard, Zubimendi, Eze

Madueke, Gyökeres, Martinelli.

It may not be the strongest line-up Arteta has put out, but it should carry more than enough quality to deal with a Sporting side that will be without key men Ivan Fresneda and Luís Guilherme.

Worth noting, however, is that their captain, Morten Hjulmand, returns for this game after missing the first leg through suspension.

What augurs well fir Arsenal is that Sporting have got a bad record in Europe when they lost the first tie losing 13 of 14 such ties. 

Three Arsenal wins and three draws, Sporting have never managed to beat the Gunners (over 90 minutes and extra time) and Wednesday is unlikely to be the day that changes.

Arsenal aim to lay St Mary's ghosts to rest with this patched-up line-up

 By Danong 

Arsenal return to action with a quarter-final FA Cup clash against Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium.  

St Mary’s has long proved a difficult ground for the Gunners. In their last five visits, they have managed just one victory, a frustrating record given that, on paper, this is a fixture where Arsenal should be odds-on favourites.  

Even so, while Arsenal are expected to prevail tonight, they will need to bring their A-game.  

Southampton arrive unbeaten in 14 matches, enjoying their best run of form in recent memory, and they will be ready to put up a fight. Arsenal, therefore, must be prepared for everything thrown their way.  

Fingers crossed, most of our key players are fit, especially after several withdrew from international duty with injury concerns.  

From Mikel Arteta’s Friday press conference:  

- Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard are in contention. 

- Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapie are ruled out with no timeline for return.

- Noni Madueke is sidelined, though expected back within days.  

Ideally, Arteta should field this line-up:  

Kepa  

Ben White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Lewis Skelly  

Norgaard, Havertz, Odegaard 

Dowman, Gyokeres, Martinelli  

Despite injuries forcing notable absences, Arsenal should still have enough to dispatch Southampton on Saturday night and book their place in the semi-finals, one step closer to clinching a record 15th FA Cup trophy.  

Losing the Carabao Cup to Manchester City before the break may have ended hopes of a quadruple, but the treble dream remains alive. Victory here would edge Arsenal closer to that ambition.  

Securing the FA Cup, Premier League, and Champions League would be a fitting and deserved way for Arsenal to crown this season.