Arsenal host Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium in the second round of the Champions League. The Gunners are on a two-game unbeaten streak in the League. The Ukranian club is unlikely to beat the English giants.
Mikel Arteta’s men would look to continue their form in the European competition. They have recently come from a shocking loss against Bournemouth in the Premier League. The Gunners have 1 draw and a win in their two matches. Arsenal managed to draw the match in their opening game against Atlanta and a win against Paris Saint-Germain.
Shakhtar Donetsk has not had a very good start to their 2024-2025 Champions League campaign. The Ukrainian club ended their opening match in a draw against Bologna. Their second match ended in disappointment as Atlanta thrashed them 3-0.
Arsenal were pretty impressive against PSG in their last Champions League outing. The goal scorers from the Gunner’s side were Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. PSG were dominant in the first half but Arsenal were able to finish the chances they got.
There are some major concerns for Mikel Arteta as many of his men will miss out on this important game. The center-back of the team William Saliba is out of the squad because of a red card booking in the match against Liverpool. Saliba has started in all of the games for the Gunners this season. His omission from the team is a major disadvantage.
Injury concerns for Arsenal
Arsenal will be confident in playing against Shakhtar Donetsk at their home stadium. The Gunners are in good form and a win against the Ukranian club should not be a problem for them.
There are major concerns for the English club as many of their players will miss out due to injuries. The Gunner’s captain Martin Odegaard has missed out on important games for Arsenal this season. The Norwegian was injured in the September international break and is scheduled out of the squad till November.
Bukayo Saka is another player who injured himself in the recent international break. The youngster was not in the squad when Bournemouth defeated Arsenal. Saka also missed out on training sessions ahead of the Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk.
This could be a huge advantage for the Ukrainian club as the youngster has been an integral part of Mikel Arteta’s team. Raheem Sterling is hinted to play Saka’s role in the match. The absence of Saka can be good as Arsenal are set to face Liverpool at the end of the month. The Reds are much of a threat than the Ukranian club.
William Saliba returned from a calf injury in the match against Bournemouth. He missed a golden chance to take the lead before the Cherries scored twice against his team. Jurien Timber was also out of the squad due to an injury alongside Bukayo Saka. The coach shared a positive update regarding Saka, Timber and Odegaard he said-
” They are closer and both are progressing really well. Martin is still not well”.
Arsenal will look to continue the form in the Champions League. A win against Shakhtar Donetsk will help them climb to the League table. They currently sit in the 10th position and the Ukrainian club is in the 28th position according to Goal.
The Gunners need to work on their red card issues
One more concern for Arsenal is the number of red cards their players have received this season. Mikel Arteta’s men have been shown the red card three times now in the 2024-2025 campaign. This is a serious concern for the team.
The Gunners have played just 8 games in the Premier League and three players have already been sent off. They have played 3 matches with 10 men on the pitch. Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice have been sent off due to red cards. These outings have harmed the club as it has been difficult for Arsenal to manage the game with ten men.
William Saliba is the player who recently received a red card in Arsenal’s match against Liverpool. Saliba has been an important part of Arteta’s squad. The center-back has started for the club in all the games for the Gunners this season.
Mikel Arteta is aware that these bookings will be a problem as time progresses. Arteta that playing with 10 players is an issue and it needs to be eradicated. These issues can hamper Arsenal’s dreams of winning the titles this season.
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