Match Preview for Arsenal v Kairat Almaty
Arsenal round off their Champions League league-phase campaign at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening as they host Kairat Almaty, with the two sides entering the final matchday at opposite ends of the table.
The Gunners have already secured qualification for the knockout rounds and know that a draw would be sufficient to confirm a first-place finish, while Kairat arrive in North London having been eliminated and rooted near the bottom of the standings.
Mikel Arteta’s side have been one of the standout performers in the competition, producing a series of dominant displays that have underlined their credentials as genuine contenders.
Their latest European outing saw them claim an impressive away victory against Inter Milan, where their clinical finishing in the final third proved decisive.
Domestically, however, there was a slight dent in confidence at the weekend, as Arsenal were beaten at home by Manchester United in a surprise Premier League result.
Kairat, by contrast, have found the step up to Champions League level unforgiving. Competing in the tournament proper for the first time, the Kazakhstani side have struggled to turn competitive performances into results, managing just a single point from their campaign so far.
Team news for Arsenal v Kairat Almaty
Arsenal are close to full strength, although Declan Rice and Mikel Merino are both unavailable due to suspension after accumulating yellow cards in earlier rounds.
Riccardo Calafiori has returned to training following a minor muscle issue and could feature, while Max Dowman remains sidelined with an ankle problem.
Kai Havertz is being managed carefully after a recent knock, meaning Viktor Gyokeres is in contention to lead the line from the start. Arteta may also rotate with domestic commitments in mind, but several fringe players will be eager to impress.
Kairat are without teenage forward Dastan Satpaev, who missed the previous match through injury and remains a doubt. Winter signings Lucas Africo, Jaakko Oksanen and Sebastian Zeballos are all ineligible for the league phase.
Expected line-ups for Arsenal v Kairat Almaty
Arsenal: Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Norgaard, Eze; Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli
Kairat: Anarbekov; Tapalov, Martynovich, Sorokin, Mata; Sadybekov, Glazer; Mrynskiy, Jorginho, Gromyco; Edmilson
How to watch Arsenal v Kairat Almaty: TV channel, online stream
Arsenal v Kairat Almaty will take place on Wednesday evening, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm (UK time).
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports, with coverage available on TNT Sports 2.
Live streaming will be available via discovery+ on supported devices.
The stats for Arsenal v Kairat Almaty
- Arsenal have won all of their Champions League matches in the league phase
- The Gunners have conceded just two goals in the competition so far
- Kairat have collected one point from their Champions League campaign
- Arsenal have scored at least three goals in four European matches this season
- Kairat have failed to score in four of their six league-phase fixtures
Prediction
Arsenal
4
–
0
Kairat Almaty
With top spot within reach and a home crowd expecting a response after the weekend setback, Arsenal should approach this with a high level intensity.
Kairat may play with freedom given their situation, but Arsenal’s depth, they are likely to prove overwhelming, resulting in a comfortable victory to close out the league phase.
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