Arsenal face CSKA Moscow tonight in the first leg of the Europa League quarter finals.
The Gunners will be eager to get a comfortable lead before making the dreaded trip to Russia in a week’s time, a country we have failed to win in our four trips there under UEFA regulations.
It will be interesting to see if any political tensions spill over to affect the crowds with Theresa May having accused Vladamir Putin of wrongdoing of late, and you would hope that our players will be able to keep their concentration levels up to the max regardless.
We should be boosted by the return of Alexandre Lacazette to our European squad, and having missed the weekend’s encounter due to injury, we may see Petr Cech displace Ospina for tonight’s match also.
Predicted line-up:
Cech
Bellerin Mustafi Koscielny Monreal
Xhaka Ramsey
Mkhitaryan Wilshere Ozil
Lacazette
This team should be able to give us the lead needed to put the tie to bed, especially considering how well we have played in the competition thus far, tied with our home form across all stages.
Laca may not be 100% as of yet, but he looked ready to give his all at the weekend, and I will be so happy to see him back in the line-up, especially in the place of Danny Welbeck whose finishing could do with some work.
The Russians will not be huge underdogs in the tie, but with us being able to concentrate on the competition we should put them to the sword tonight.
I’m going to go for a nice 3-0 victory, with Lacazette adding to his goal on Sunday.
What are your predictions?
Pat J