Arsenal welcome Bayern Munich to the Emirates Stadium for a blockbuster Champions League clash between the league phase’s top two teams on Wednesday evening.
The Gunners managed a dominant victory in the north London derby as they defeated their arch-rivals Tottenham 4-1 last time out. Leandro Trossard opened the scoring after receiving a superb ball from Mikel Merino before Eberechi Eze netted a first-ever Premier League NLD hat-trick to fire his side to the three points.
Bayern saw their unbeaten start to the season come under threat in their previous outing when they went two goals down to SC Freiburg, but made a brilliant comeback to win 6-2. Eze’s former Crystal Palace teammate Michael Olise was the star as he netted a brace and assisted three to lead his side’s romp.
Both teams have won their opening four matches in the Champions League league phase and Bayern sit top of the table only on goal difference so this will be a feisty clash. Previous meetings between Arsenal and the German champions have been absolute goal fests and with both sides in excellent form and plenty at stake, this has the chance to be another.
Arsenal team news
With his side coming up against one of Europe’s most deadly teams, Mikel Arteta will likely opt to field the strongest lineup possible on Wednesday evening.
Gabriel Magalhaes will remain unavailable and Piero Hincapié will continue in the left centre back role as a result. Both Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli could be brought into the starting lineup after returning to the squad against Tottenham, but it’s hard to imagine the boss making too many changes to the side that romped to victory in the derby.
Eberechi Eze should be a guaranteed starter after he netted an historic hat-trick last time out and he is likely to remain in a creative midfield role in the continued absence of captain Martin Ødegaard.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Bayern Munich: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Hincapié, Calafiori; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Merino, Trossard
Bayern Munich team news
Bayern will be forced to make at least one change as Luis Díaz drops out to serve the first game of his three-match suspension after picking up a red card against Paris Saint-Germain.
Former Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry is expected to return from a short injury that saw him miss the win over Freiburg and that means he could replace his Colombian counterpart on the wing.
Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies will be absent for Bayern as they battle their own respective fitness issues. That could present a chance for young star Lennart Karl to start after becoming the German side’s youngest-ever Champions League goalscorer earlier in the campaign.
Predicted Bayern Munich lineup vs Arsenal: Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Guerreiro; Pavlovic, Kimmich; Olise, Karl, Gnabry; Kane