Arsenal head to the Stade Maurice Dufrasne knowing that they simply need to avoid defeat to Standard Liege in order to progress to the Europa League Knockout Stage.
Should they lose however, they need to avoid a five goal margin of defeat in order to advance, otherwise they will be out if Eintracht Frankfurt were to beat Vitoria de Guimaraes in the other game.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesStandard Liege will be without Anthony Limbombe and Noe Dussenne due to knee injuries.
Arsenal could be without left-back, Kieran Tierney due to a shoulder injury picked up against West Ham on Monday night.
Nicolas Pepe (knee) and Hector Bellerin (hamstring) are ruled out but could return on Sunday against Manchester City, although Dani Ceballos (hamstring), Granit Xhaka (concussion) and Rob Holding (knee) are definitely absent for a few more weeks.
Stat Attack
- Standard Liege have lost all five previous meetings with Arsenal in all competitions.
- Arsenal have scored ten and conceded twice in two previous trips to Standard Liege.
- Five of Arsenal’s 12 Europa League goals this season have come in the last ten minutes plus injury time.
Prediction
Arsenal need to start playing across ninety minutes because on Monday, they were poor in the first hour before finding their attacking edge which is a positive sign but doesn’t disguise a poor first hour.
I am therefore expecting a tougher test than any previous meeting with Liege before but I think Monday’s win has done Arsenal a favour, because they should go and secure qualification comfortably now.
Prediction: Standard Liege 1-3 Arsenal
Result: Standard Liege 2-2 Arsenal