Ostersunds FK vs Arsenal, Europa League live: Team news and goal updates
Follow minute-by-minute coverage of Arsenal's match in Sweden
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal are preparing for their Europa League Round of 32 first-leg clash with Ostersunds FK tonight, hoping that the competition will provide them with a welcome route back into the Champions League next season.
The Gunners look set to miss out on the top four for the second season running following last weekend’s disappointing defeat in the North London Derby but the bookies make Arsenal big favourites for their first-leg against their Swedish opposition despite their very poor away form, having lost each of the last four games on their travels.Nevertheless, the Gunners cruised through the group stages of the competition to set up the favourable draw against the Swedish minnows and have performed generally well in Europe so far so they will have their sights firmly set on killing the tie as soon as possible.
But the Swedish side who were only founded 21 years ago will be hoping to spring a major shock, led by the sole British manager in the Europa League, Graham Potter, who took over at the helm in 2010. He has since guided Ostersunds FK from the Swedish 4th tier to the heady heights of Europa League football and will be hoping that the miracle continues in this historic clash.
Follow all of the live action below!
What time does it start?
Ostersunds FK vs Arsenal kicks off at 6pm.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on BT Sport 3 from 5.30pm. Highlights will be shown at 10.15pm on BT Sport 2.
It’s a big game for…
Danny Welbeck: The Arsenal forward has been plagued by injury during his Arsenal career but is ironically the only fit and available first team striker for the Gunners tonight.
Alexandre Lacazette has a knee injury, Olivier Giroud has been sold and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang is cup-tied in the Europa League, much to Arsene Wenger’s frustration.
Arsene Wenger has criticised Uefa’s rule which leaves Arsenal‘s £56m January signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ineligible to play in their Europa League round-of-32 first leg against Ostersunds FK on Thursday evening, and the rest of the competition, despite the striker having not played in it this season.
So the pressure falls upon the shoulders of the former Manchester United forward who has five goals to his name so far this season.
Best stat
18: It is 18 years since Arsenal last took part in this competition having qualified from the group stages of the Champions League for 17 seasons running prior.
In the 1999-00 season though, the Gunners progressed to the Uefa Cup final where they were beaten by Galatasaray in a penalty-shoot out.
They will be hoping to go one better, this time around.
Player to watch…
Alhaji Gero: The Nigerian forward has scored two goals in Ostersunds memorable Europa League campaign thus far, helping them qualify for this stage for the first time in their history.
He will be looking to take on his fellow countryman in the shape of Alex Iwobi in pursuit of springing one of the biggest shocks in the competition.
Gero to be the hero?
Form guide…
Ostersunds FK: WDWLDW
Arsenal: LWLWWL
Odds…
Ostersunds FK to win: 7/1
Arsenal to win: 21/50
Draw: 18/5
Ostersunds 0-2 Arsenal
22: Ostersunds make another mess of clearing the ball inside their box. Henrikh Mkhitaryan collects the ball inside the area and fires a cross across the face of goal and it deflects of Sotirios Papagiannopoulos' shoulder and goes in.
Ostersunds 0-2 Arsenal
25: There's certainly an element of stage fright going on here. Both of Arsenal's goals have come from the home side losing the ball by making nervous mistakes in dangerous areas.
Ostersunds 0-2 Arsenal
28: Finally the home attack! Ostersunds work the ball to the left wing and swing a cross to Salisu Abdullhi Gero who heads straight at the goalkeeper. They come forward again and Saman Ghoddos strikes from the egde of the area to force a full-stretch save from David Ospina
Ostersunds 0-2 Arsenal
32: Saman Ghoddos shows good strength and drives forward into the Arsenal half. Shkodran Mustafi backs away from the attacker and invites his to shoot, which he does with power but the effort is easily saved.
Ostersunds 0-2 Arsenal
35: Ostersunds are looking so much better now, they are calmer in possession and actually making an effort to get up the pitch. Curtis Edwards collects the ball in space and fires towards goal from the edge of the area but his strike takes a deflection and bobbles towards the goalkeeper.
Ostersunds 0-2 Arsenal
38: Arsenal now playing a 4-2-4 formation which is the kind I like to play on Fifa when I'm taking the mick. It's working well going forward but you feel it's contributing to Ostersund's more frequent ventures into the Gunners half.
Ostersunds 0-2 Arsenal
39: Danny Welbeck breaks forwards, Alex Iwobi makes a great run in space on the overlap but the central forward cuts inside then loses possession. Iwobi is understandably furious with his teammate.
Ostersunds 0-2 Arsenal
41: Ainsley Maitland-Niles is judged to trip Salisu Abdullhi Gero on the edge of the area and Ostersunds are awarded a free kick. Ken Sema strikes it and shoots straight at David Ospina.
Ostersunds 0-2 Arsenal
It was almost like the Ostersunds players spent the first 30 minutes wondering which Arsenal player to ask to swap shirts at full time. They looked in awe of their opponents and showed them way too much respect.
Nacho Monreal opened the scoring after Arsenal took advantage of some ill-timed playing out of the back from the hosts. A second quickly followed when the Gunners again pinched the ball in a dangerous area and Henrikh Mkhitaryan's low cross deflected off Sotirios Papagiannopoulos into the back of the net.
The home side eventually woke up and decided to get out of their half and a series of half chances were saved by David Ospina who captains the Gunners this evening.
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