AC Milan vs Arsenal LIVE: Stream details, Europa League latest scores; Mkhitaryan nets

AC MILAN 0-2 ARSENAL

Arsenal travel to the San Siro looking to end their losing run against AC Milan in the first leg of their last-16 Europa League tie.

The Gunners have lost four matches in a row which is the first time that has happened since October 2002.

Arsenal are sixth in the Premier League, 13 points behind north London rivals Tottenham in fourth, with this competition their best chance of returning to the Champions League.

Meanwhile AC Milan are in terrific form under Gennaro Gattuso.

They are unbeaten in 13 matches, and recently reached the Coppa Italia final with a penalty shootout victory over Lazio.

AC MILAN 0-2 ARSENAL – RAMSEY

49: New contract for Arsene Wenger?

Arsenal are answering their critics in style as they double their advantage at the San Siro.

Aaron Ramsey bursts through the AC Milan defence, rounds Donnarumma and fires home. Cracking finish.

46: Woodwork! Welbeck plays a ball worthy of Kevin De Bruyne over to Mkhitaryan but the ball has skimmed off the bar and over.

45: Danny! Welbeck does everything right when breaking through the line but his finish is so poor and Donnarumma comfortably gathers.

Bonucci rises highest to meet a corner ahead of Ospina, who flapped a little, but the defender guides it wide. Big chance to equalise before the break.

44: Nearly a very, very important second for the Gunners as Donnarumma is forced to palm away a Chambers drive from distance.

42: I don’t want to jinx it guys, but Arsenal are looking pretty comfortable here at the San Siro.

Mustafi and Koscielny are dealing with everything the hosts have to offer, and Wilshere is buzzing around causing all sorts of problems going forward.

39: Bonaventura curls the ball towards the far post but Suso didn’t gamble and Ospina watches it bounce wide.

36: Calhanoglu is caught late by Ramset and Milan have themselves a free-kick in a dangerous position, probably just outside shooting range.

The midfielder swings it in but Xhaka reads it and nods away.

33: Ouch! Ospina has just completely cleaned Mustafi out when punching a cross clear. I’m sure the goalkeeper’s union would approve of such actions.

I think the German will be fine. A few moments later Koscielny anticipates the run of Cutrone and executes a perfectly-timed challenge.

30: Wilshere has been causing all sorts of problems in that number 10 role. He’s just skipped through the defence to win a corner, which is cleared.

28: A simultaneous groan from 70,000 AC Milan fans as Calhanoglu breaks forward and passes is straight to Chambers. Frustration setting in.

25: Seven of Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s last nine goals in all competitions have been scored in European fixtures (six in the Europa League and one in the Champions League).

23: Looks like Milan are going to make an early change. Oh wait. Right-back Calabria, who’s struggling to deal with Kolasinac and Mkhitaryan, has gone down twice but he’s decided to stay on the field.

20: Kolasinac with a Maradona turn in his own half? I’ve seen it all now. The Gunners need to play smart and protect this lead now.

We all saw what a North London team did against an Italian team last night…

AC MILAN 0-1 ARSENAL – MKHITARYAN

17: What a time and place to score your first goal for Arsenal.

Seconds after the penalty reprieve, the visitors have bagged themselves a vital away goal through Mkhitaryan.

The Armenia international cuts inside before unleashing a cracking effort that deflects off Bonucci and beats Donnarumma.

16: Calhanoglu proving that honesty is NOT the best policy sometimes. He’s beaten Ospina to the ball and should really hit the deck to win a penalty. Instead he stays on his feet and gives Arsenal a BIG reprieve.

13: Hardly an inspiring few minutes for Arsenal. Chambers gifts the ball to Calhanoglu before Cutrone collects the pass and lashes it wide.

Robbie Savage is baffled at Mustafi’s positioning there. Nowhere to be seen…

11: Close! Ozil and Wilshere exchange a few passes before it’s laid back to Mkhitaryan, who slams it into the side-netting.

9: Chambers is up and about again. Of course there’s no Mathieu Debuchy to turn to now. Bet Arsenal fans miss him every day…

6: Signs of improvement from Arsenal going forward. Ozil and Kolasinac combine nicely down the left but the return pass leaves the German with too much to do.

Pause in play with Chambers down. Looks like he’s taken a flailing elbow to the head from Calhanoglu. No malice in it.

3: Jack Wilshere has started in the number 10 position. Interesting to see how he’ll cope.

Anyway, AC Milan are straight on the front-foot with three early corners. Bonaventura nearly taps home a searching cross to the back post but it’s gone narrowly wide.

1: And we’re off! AC Milan look mighty fired up for this one. Will Arsenal wilt under the pressure, or rise to occasion?

TWO-MINUTE WARNING

17:58: We’re almost underway folks. There will be a minute’s silence for Davide Astori, who tragically passed away earlier this week.

Here are the other last-16 games going on across Europe tonight. I’ll keep you updated with those games too.

*Atletico Madrid v Lokomotiv Moscow

*Borussia Dortmund v Red Bull Salzburg

*CSKA Moscow v Lyon

AC MILAN vs ARSENAL

17:55: Quick reminder of those line-ups folks. Not long to go…

Arsenal XI: Ospina, Chambers, Mustafi, Koscielny, Kolasinac; Xhaka, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Wilshere; Welbeck.

Subs: Cech, Holding, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Iwobi, Nelson, Nketiah.

AC Milan XI: Donnarumma, Calabria, Bonucci, Romagnoli, Rodriguez; Kessie, Biglia, Bonaventura; Suso, Cutrone, Calhanoglu.

Subs: Kalinic, Silva, Borini, Zapata, Montolivo, Locatelli, Donnarumma.

‘WE NEED TO FIGHT’

17:50: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: “It’s a two-game tie so we need to be good on both sides, defend well first because when teams lack a little bit of confidence you need reassurance. You need everyone to do a defensive job and of course go forward and score.

“Even with the changes you have to keep your philosophy but to play well you need confidence and sometimes when you miss it you have to do pragmatic things. When I speak about being pragmatic we also need to fight.”

‘WE HAVE MAXIMUM RESPECT FOR ARSENAL’

17:45: AC Milan manager Gennaro Gattuso: “Arsenal are not going through a positive period, but they have great players and have scored 18 goals in this Europa League.

“We have maximum respect for Arsenal. Only if we play a great game we will be able to avoid conceding goals.

“Compared to Wenger, I’m just a rookie. We are preparing for this match the best way we can. They are a very technical team that like to have the ball at all times. We must do well to hold them and to make them run when we have the ball.”

TWITTER ROUND-UP

George: As difficult as it is to do so, especially at the moment, we have to put our frustrations aside and support the club we love. Come on Arsenal!

Ball: Honestly, Arsenal have a good line-up on paper. All we need is a good tempo throughout the game and an attitude to win. Easy right?

Mark: Think it is safe to say the Arsenal side doesn’t inspire confidence – nor do these stats make for comfortable reading: AC Milan not conceded in their last six games, Arsenal have shipped 11.

DANNY NEEDS TO DO WEL

17:35: With club-record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang cup-tied and unable to face the team where he began his career and fellow big-money recruit Alexandre Lacazette still nursing a knee problem, Wenger has once again put his faith in England international Danny Welbeck.

The former Manchester United man failed to impress when he played as a striker in both legs of the previous round against Ostersund and has scored only once in his last 12 appearances for the Gunners.

He needs to address that to give Arsenal their best chance of leaving Italy with an away goal but – coming up against the likes of Leonardo Bonucci – it will certainly be a tough ask of the 27-year-old.

‘OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO TAKE’

17:30: Arsene Wenger says winning the Europa League is an opportunity his under-fire Arsenal side have to take.

The Frenchman has called on his players to step up and do just that as they look to stop their season petering out with two months of the campaign remaining.

“It makes me think about last year,” Wenger replied when asked if having a trophy to play for was similar to last season’s run to a third FA Cup success in four years.

“Last year we won the FA Cup, we made 75 points and missed out of the Champions League by one point.

“Seventy-five points is still a very good score what we will not reach this season. This is an opportunity we have to take, yes, of course.”

HAVE YOUR SAY

17:25: If you want to vent your frustrations, or discuss any issues in the world of football (best we give Spurs a miss), then get in touch!

You can either comment at the bottom of the page or contact me via Twitter using the hashtag #ExpressSport.

NEGATIVE SPIRAL

17:20: “We need to have positive voices in our heads because the brain dictates the body and the legs,” says Dr Laurent Koscielny.

Biology isn’t the Frenchman’s strongest suit…

Anyway, Koscielny quite rightly admits he and his team-mates are in a negative spiral, but has called for unity and thinks the mentality of the players needs addressing.

“We are disappointed with how we played. We need to be together. That’s the most important. It doesn’t matter what’s going on outside.

“We are in a negative spiral and it’s difficult to get out of this. We need to have positive voices in our heads because the brain dictates the body and the legs. We have to be positive to have a good result and step by step we will come back stronger.”

THE WALL…

17:15: While Milan may also be struggling for a return to the top, Gattuso at least has them well-organised defensively.

Since the turn of the year, Milan have only shipped three goals and have kept clean sheets in their last six games.

Compare that to Arsenal, who have conceded 25 goals during the same period and whose defenders looked bereft of confidence at Brighton this past weekend.

Add to that the absence of both first-choice full-backs through injury and the Premier League side will certainly need to improve in that department if they are to win this tie over the two legs.

ITALIAN JOB…

17:10: A beleaguered Wenger is now in a position where any negative result leads to increased calls for him to leave.

The 68-year-old would have heard his own supporters bellow “we want Wenger out” during Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Brighton – a fourth consecutive loss.

While the Frenchman has stressed all season that he wants to return to the Champions League by finishing in the top four, that now looks unlikely as they are 13 points adrift.

Therefore this competition takes on more importance, especially as the 3-0 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City means this is also the only chance of silverware this season.

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Doni: Urm, Danny Welbeck against Leonardo Bonucci? Arsenal have no shame.

Matthew: Bit of advice for Danny Welbeck tonight. Try aiming the ball at the corner flag and it might just go in the goal!

Tommy: Where is Ainsley Maitland-Niles? Surely he should start over Callum Chambers! Also, what the hell does Granit Xhaka have to do to be dropped?!

TEAM NEWS

17:00: Looks like three changes for Arsene Wenger tonight.

Aaron Ramsey returns to the starting XI having been rested for the trip to the Amex Stadium on Sunday. He’s in for Alex Iwobi.

He’s joined by Danny Welbeck and David Ospina, who replace the ineligible Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Petr Cech.

Callum Chambers will be deployed at right-back with Hector Bellerin absent. The Gunners will be playing with four at the back.

AC MILAN vs ARSENAL

16:55: The line-ups have arrived. Arsene Wenger makes three changes from the defeat to Brighton.

Arsenal XI: Ospina, Chambers, Mustafi, Koscielny, Kolasinac; Xhaka, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Wilshere; Welbeck.

Subs: Cech, Holding, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Iwobi, Nelson, Nketiah.

AC Milan XI: Donnarumma, Calabria, Bonucci, Romagnoli, Rodriguez; Kessie, Biglia, Bonaventura; Suso, Cutrone, Calhanoglu.

Subs: Kalinic, Silva, Borini, Zapata, Montolivo, Locatelli, Donnarumma.

BELLERIN UPDATE

16:50: Sadly Arsenal have no Hector Bellerin tonight. He suffered a knee injury in training did not travel with the squad to Italy.

But in true Arsenal fashion, he’s taken to social media to provide an update.

Bellerin wrote on Twitter: “Disappointed not to be fit for tonight and help the boys in a massive game for us. Been carrying this injury for a while but hoping to recover soon.”

One fan responded: “Thank goodness you’re not playing but I wish you all the best on recovery.” Charming…

WELCOME

16:40: Good afternoon folks, welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Europa League.

“We can’t lose again, we have to win the Europa League, Arsene Wenger should leave if we don’t,” sounds like the general gist coming from the Arsenal camp.

But that’s a task easier said than done when you’re playing a resurgent AC Milan, who haven’t conceded a goal in over 540 minutes of action.

Yes, that’s six games of football…

A tournament that was initially received with moans and groans has suddenly become the be all and end all for Arsenal.

Can they avoid a fifth defeat in a row, or will they crumble under the pressure and finish the season battling it out with Burnley for sixth position?

AC MILAN vs ARSENAL

Hector Bellerin is missing from the Arsenal squad for tonight’s Europa League round of 16 clash at AC Milan.

The right-back is absent with a knee injury, with fellow defender Nacho Monreal also left at home as he failed to recover from a back problem in time to be involved.

Alexandre Lacazette (knee) is out while club-record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is cup-tied. Danny Welbeck is the only recognised senior striker available to manager Arsene Wenger.

STREAM DETAILS

Coverage of this evening’s Europa League match between AC Milan and Arsenal will be shown live on BT Sport 2 (Sky 414, Sky HD 433, BT TV 409, Virgin Media 532), with the pre-match build-up starting at 5.30pm and kick-off at 6pm.

BT Sport will also be showing the match on a desktop computer or laptop via the company’s own site. The BT Sport enhanced video player is also available online.