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Date: Tuesday 21st October
Venue: Emirates Stadium
KO: 19.45
Arsenal look to stay perfect in the group of death with a third straight victory to open their campaign in the Champions League competition proper, whilst Borussia Dortmund will be keen to knock the Gunners off of their perch in Group F with a second win on the bounce after dropping their opening encounter to Rafa Benitez’s Napoli in southern Italy.
Team News:
Arsenal
Mathieu Flamini landed on the rather extensive list of injuries at the Emirates over the weekend in a clash of heads with Norwich’s Alexander Tettey, joining Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski, and Abou Diaby on the treatment table, amongst others.
As such, Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta will likely team up to form the holding midfield duo for Arsene Wenger, with Olivier Giroud leading the attack ahead of the attacking midfield trident of Jack Wilshere, Mesut Ozil, and Santi Cazorla, who returned to action at last at the weekend following a six-week lay off.
Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny appear good value to pair in central defence as it looks increasingly improbable that Thomas Vermaelen will crack back into the starting eleven an time soon.
Borussia Dortmund
Manager Jurgen Klopp will be up in the stands as he finishes out a two-game suspension for his unseemly eruption on the fourth official at the Stadio San Paolo on matchday one, with assistant Zeljko Buvac taking over in his place.
Long-term absentee Ilkay Gundogan continues to miss out alongside Sebastian Kehl and Lukasz Piszczek, though Marcel Schmelzer was on the bench for Saturday’s Bundesliga contest against Hannover and could be in line to see his first action since September 21.
Mats Hummels was ruled out over the weekend due to a ban but should reassume his spot beside Neven Subotic at the back on Tuesday, with Robert Lewandowski a certainty to start up front as Marco Reus, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will likely constitute the supporting trio.
Recent Form:
Each side comes into the tie on the back of the a league victory, Arsenal’s a 4-1 thrashing of Norwich and Dortmund’s a narrow 1-0 triumph opposite Hannover, whilst the Gunners lead the Premier League at present and die Schwarzgelben are only a point off the summit in the Bundesliga.
Wenger’s men haven’t tasted defeat since opening day of the English top flight and are in a supreme run of form having won 11 of their last 12 matches, the lone draw coming against West Brom at The Hawthorns on October 6.
The Germans have themselves lost just twice across all competitions thus far, to Napoli in their maiden Champions League match and Monchengladbach just over a fortnight ago, so both teams will be keen to see their quite productive starts to the 2013-14 term continue.
Players to Watch
Arsenal – Aaron Ramsey
The Welshman has been majestic since the outset of the campaign, garnering an aggregate 488 Squawka Performance Score between the Champions League and Premier League.
Ramsey will have to be at his absolute best once against if the Gunners are to indeed establish a commanding lead in Group F with a victory over last season’s losing finalists, needing to make use of both the finishing that has seen him net six goals in domestic and continental play and the defensive aptitude through which he has made 42 total tackles in the same regard.
Borussia Dortmund – Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Mkhitaryan hasn’t quite lived up to his £23.6 million price tag through his exploits in Champions League action to date with the Bundesliga outfit, registering a Performance Score of just 20 through his side’s first two contests in Europe’s elite competition.
His 81% average pass accuracy and combined four key passes against Napoli and Marseille simply aren’t enough of a contribution for a player of his calibre, and the Armenian will without doubt be under a bit of pressure to do better at the Emirates on Tuesday.
Adequate service for Robert Lewandowski will be imperative as Dortmund look to blow the group wide open with what would be a crucial three points in London, with all eyes on Mkhitaryan to provide for the Polish striker from his role at the heart of Klopp’s attacking midfield trident.
Prediction:
The match-up between the two sides is absolutely tantalising as Arsenal look unstoppable at present whilst Dortmund’s European credentials, following last season’s run to the final, speak for themselves.
Each club has dealt with a packed fixture list and a fair amount of injuries despite their successes in the early going, meaning neither holds a distinct fitness advantage and the result will belong the whichever can execute at a higher level on the day.
Wenger’s men will of course be buoyed by playing in front of the home support, and given their showing against Napoli at the Emirates in addition to their overall form this campaign, they appear primed to emerge with at least a point in a match that should see a fair amount of goals.
Arsenal 2-1 Dortmund
