On October 23 at 3 AM China Time, in the third round of the first stage of the Champions League, Arsenal will host Ukrainian team Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium.
In the first two rounds, Arsenal drew away against Atalanta and won 2-0 at home against Paris Saint-Germain, accumulating 4 points. With 16 teams having 3-4 points, the outcome of this round will significantly impact team rankings. Shakhtar Donetsk drew their first match away against Bologna and lost at home to Atalanta, earning only 1 point after two matches.
Arsenal has been in excellent form since the start of the season, winning 8 and drawing 3 out of their first 11 matches across league, cup, and European competitions, scoring 24 goals and conceding only 7. However, last weekend, with a full injury list and a red card leaving them short-handed, Arsenal lost 0-2 away to Bournemouth, suffering their first defeat of the season and ending their four-match winning streak. With significant player absences, Arsenal faces many challenges. At the pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta emphasized that the true character of the team is not just shown in good times but also in how they respond in adversity.
Shakhtar Donetsk, due to non-competitive reasons, has faced significant difficulties in preparation and training. However, they have won their last two league matches, indicating good form.
In terms of head-to-head records, Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk have met four times in the Champions League, specifically in the group stages of the 2000-01 and 2010-11 seasons. Arsenal has 2 wins and 2 losses, scoring 9 goals and conceding 8. In both home matches, Arsenal won 3-2 and 5-1, but they lost 0-3 and 1-2 in the away matches. According to UEFA data, Arsenal has played 12 matches against Ukrainian teams, winning 5 and drawing 1 at home, while losing 4 and drawing 1 away. Shakhtar Donetsk has played 18 matches against Premier League teams, winning 5 and drawing 2 at home, but losing all 9 away matches without a single win.
In terms of squad availability, Arsenal has several injured players. Pre-match, Arteta confirmed that Odegaard (ankle), Tomiyasu (knee), and Tierney (hamstring) are definitely out, while Saka (thigh) and Timbers (muscle) are doubts. According to British media predictions, Maitland-Niles and Zinchenko will take on important roles. For Shakhtar Donetsk, Pyatkov is absent due to an ACL injury.
>>”>For more predictions and analysis of this match, click here>>>
