Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates
Sporting XI: Ribeiro, Ristovski, Coates, Andre Pinto, Acuna, Petrovic, Gudelj, Battaglia, Bruno Fernandes, Nani, Montero
Arsenal XI: Leno, Lichtsteiner, Sokratis, Holding, Xhaka; Elneny, Guendouzi; Mkhitaryan, Ramsey, Welbeck; Aubameyang
SPORTING LISBON 0-0 ARSENAL
- Unai Emery makes six changes from Leicester win
- Sokratis lucky to escape red card
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
SPORTING LISBON 0-0 ARSENAL
45: Unai Emery looking like we’re all feeling watching this in the picture above. The Arsenal boss sent his players out early for the second half – about there minutes before Sporting actually. We’re back underway with no changes for either side.
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
Twitter round-up
Kev: Arsenal are on a good run of form but is it enough when they come up against the big teams? I’m an Arsenal fan but I still worry.
Criv: Arsenal are the luckiest team by far this week! Got away with red card and penalty against Leicester and now Sokratis should see red v Sporting.
Sean Turner: Another slow start by Arsenal. Maybe the coaching staff should consider giving the players their half-time oranges before the game starts.
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
SPORTING LISBON 0-0 ARSENAL
HT: Not great. Sporting have just about shaded this 45 minutes but thanks mainly due to Bruno Fernandes and Nani shooting from anywhere on the field. Plenty of changes from Unai Emery for tonight’s clash – too many?
45: Nani wins his side a corner just before the break but Danny Welbeck is back there to clear the danger. Atmosphere building up nicely too now.
43: I should have known this would be a slog. Arsenal have never beaten a Portuguese side away from home (D3 L3), losing each of their last three.
40: Now what can Arsenal do with a free-kick from the right touchline… absolutely nothing! A ghastly delivery from Granit Xhaka curls straight out of play.
38: Acuna is a good player… he’s an even better complainer when pleading his innocence to referee Damir Skomina after sliding in late on Lichtsteiner. He’s booked.
35: Yep, having seen the replay I think Sokratis got away with one there. Anyway, there’s action up the other end of the field as Elneny releases Welbeck, but he can’t find Aubameyang lurking in the six-yard box.
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
33: BIG DECISION! Sokratis misjudges a headed clearance near the halfway line and Sporting forward Montero steals in. The Arsenal centre-back is the last man and desperately pulls Montero’s shirt.
It should be a sending off in my book but referee Damir Skomina completely ignores the incident.
30: That’s straight out of the Nani playbook. Arsenal make a hash of bringing it out from the back and the former Manchester United winger thunders one narrowly over the crossbar.
28: The BT Sport commentator has just set 60 seconds discussing how green everything is inside the stadium. That should give you an indication of the number of chances we’re seeing.
25: Mohamed Elneny is inches away from winning a penalty. Coates with a clumsy challenge JUST outside the box and Arsenal have themselves a very dangerous set-piece.
Mkhitaryan steps up… saved. The Armenia international whips it straight at Ribeiro, who palms clear.
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
22: Bruno Fernandes nudges Lichtsteiner away before volleying the ball miles over the crossbar. The Swiss stooped to head the initial cross and Fernandes is penalised for a high boot.
No malice there but it didn’t stop Lichtsteiner giving referee Damir Skomina a piece of his mind.
19: Bruno Fernandes certainly isn’t lacking confidence. He’s sent clear down the left touchline with Lichtsteiner out of position and hammers it into the stands.
17: Those fans heading to the stadium after work will be pleased with these rather dull opening exchanges. Neither side has been able to string more than five passes together. I don’t think Aubameyang has touched the ball yet.
15: Granit Xhaka is caught cold by Bruno Fernandes and the makeshift left-back lunges and catches the Sporting star on his toes. Lucky to avoid an early booking.
13: Aaron Ramsey is operating in a deeper role this evening. He’s alongside Guendouzi in midfield with Elneny looking the more advanced player. Not quite sure about that myself.
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
10: Good solo run from Marcos Acuna, who wiggles his way beyond Mkhitaryan and Lichtsteiner before seeing a cross/shot blocked by the stomach of Sokratis.
8: Lichtsteiner should be happy to return to his preferred right-back position. I wouldn’t say he toiled at left-back against Leicester on Monday, but it certainly isn’t where he can best showcase his talents.
5: Gudelj looks to switch play and target makeshift left-back Granit Xhaka. His crossfield pass rolls straight out of play.
3: Arsenal haven’t bolted out of the traps in recent Premier League matches. In fact, they have a nasty habit of falling behind before things click.
True to form, Sporting win the early corner but young Guendouzi rises highest to thump it clear.
SPORTING LISBON 0-0 ARSENAL
1: And after a painfully quiet Europa League anthem (why the heck do we even need that) we’re underway. Apparently Portuguese office hours run until 7pm – so we’re expecting a better atmosphere in the second half.
Also, do we think the fact that Aaron Ramsey is wearing the captain’s armband could be perceived as an olive branch from Unai Emery?
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
Where’s everyone?
17:50: We’re about five minutes away from kick off but there are thousands upon thousands of empty seats. Apparently Croatia vs England in Rijeka currently rivalling this for pre-match atmosphere…
Xhaka…
17:45: Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka: “This is our hardest game in the group, they are a big team and they have a good history.
“The name is the biggest in the group, because we don’t know too much about the other teams. I asked my brother about Sporting because he played here with Basel, and he said it’s a tough place.”
Shrewd observations, Granit.
Specialist
17:40: Unai Emery has only lost one of his 20 Group Stage games in the UEFA Europa League as a manager (W11 D8 L1).
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
‘We are trying to play with Granit Xhaka’
17:35: Arsenal manager Unai Emery: “We sometimes start slow in matches. It is important to change these things because we have worked hard in a lot of matches.
“We have now two left-backs who are injured – Sead Kolasinac and Nacho Monreal – so we are trying to play with Granit Xhaka. He is positive and has quality with the left foot. I wanted to try this option.”
Twitter round-up
Tommy: If I’m Sporting Lisbon tonight, I’m putting Nani on Granit Xhaka all night!
Amen: My boy Granit Xhaka is going from defensive midfielder to left back, and eventually becoming a goalkeeper in coming years. Unai Emery, we see your plans.
Tom: Is it just me or is the fixture scheduling system ridiculous? Arsenal play the latest out of everyone on Monday night and then have the early game on Thursday in Portugal? Surely common sense would have switched the Sunday game with Monday night’s game?
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
RVP…
17:20: Veteran Dutch forward Robin van Persie expects to retire at the end of the season.
The 35-year-old is currently back at Feyenoord, the club with whom he came through the youth ranks before moving to Arsenal in 2004.
Van Persie went on to win the FA Cup with the Gunners before leaving to join Manchester United. He then helped fire Sir Alex Ferguson’s team to the 2012-13 Premier League title.
With 50 goals across 102 appearances for Holland, Van Persie was part of the Oranje side who reached the 2010 World Cup final, losing to Spain, and he also captained the squad which finished third four years later.
Van Persie moved from Old Trafford to Fenerbahce in Turkey in July 2015 before returning to his homeland in January and helping Feyenoord win the KNVB Cup.
In an interview with Dutch media outlet AD, Van Persie confirmed his intention to make the current campaign his last as a player.
“When do I have to stop? That is normally at the end of this season,” Van Persie said. “I will be (turning) 36 years old, have been a professional for 18 years and from the age of five, I’ve only been involved in football.”
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)
Sporting form…
17:15: Despite the upheaval, Sporting’s class of 2018 have lost just two games in all competitions so far this season.
They prepared for the visit of their Premier League opponents by seeing off minnows Loures 2-1 in the Taca de Portugal.
Before that, they slipped to a 4-2 league defeat at Portimonense and now sit fifth in the table.
Their Europa League campaign has started with two wins but Sporting required two stoppage-time goals from Fredy Montero and Jovane Cabral to see off Ukrainian outfit Vorskla Poltava last time out.
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
Cech mate
17:10: Petr Cech started the campaign as first choice despite the summer signing of Germany international Bernd Leno.
However, the 36-year-old, who had been expected to travel to Portugal, remains on the sidelines after injuring his hamstring in the win over Watford last month, which has worked to Leno’s advantage.
The new arrival had to make do with Europa League and Carabao Cup football but has worked his way back into the Germany national team fold after a series of impressive displays since replacing Cech.
Leno is also more comfortable playing out from the back – something Emery is keen to promote – and played a key role in the build-up to the final goal in Monday’s 3-1 home win over Leicester as the former Bayer Leverkusen man looks to nail down the number one spot with another assured performance.
Team news
17:05: Let’s take a closer look at this Arsenal starting XI. Well, Unai Emery has made six changes from Monday nights win over Leicester.
Bernd Leno, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Rob Holding, Granit Xhaka and Henrikh Mkhitaryan all start.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos also returns following a recent ankle injury.
Aaron Ramsey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both start with Danny Welbeck leading the line. And yes, Granit Xhaka really is starting at left-back.
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: EPA)
A Sporting chance
17:00: Make no mistake, Sporting aren’t just here to make up the numbers.
They endured a difficult summer as 11 players left the club following an attack on the training ground by disgruntled supporters. The fall-out of the likes of Rui Patricio and Bas Dost walking away from their contracts is still rumbling as manager Jose Peseiro looks to keep things on track.
Like Arsenal, Sporting have lost just twice this season and brought former Manchester United winger Nani back to the club as one of several men signed to replace those who left after the disturbance.
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: ARSENAL)
Form…
16:55: It’s almost obscene how entertaining Arsenal have been recently.
The 3-1 Premier League victory over Leicester on Monday night saw Arsenal make it 10 wins in a row. The last time they failed to win a game was on August 18 and the visitors will be keen to keep that winning feeling intact in the Portuguese capital.
Lisbon is bloody delightful by the way. I’ll be repeating that frequently throughout this blog – I might even have an anecdote to share about a recent visit…
Twitter round-up
Dave: Errr, what?! Granit Xhaka is starting at left-back?! Hell, If that gets the best out of him, I’m all for it!
Sonny: Strong team and strong bench, good enough to win this game. Sporting Lisbon are a decent team so we can’t them lightly.
James: Appears to be Xhaka starting at left-back. Remember a while ago Emery talked about trying Danny Welbeck in that position in training. Xhaka wasn’t mentioned then but ended Monday’s game at Leicester there.
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
The starting XI…
16:45: Unai Emery has revealed his starting XI for tonight’s Europa League showdown in Lisbon. Did I mention how nice it is there? Ok…
It looks like Emery has made plenty of changes with Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette, Hector Bellerin and Alex Iwobi rested.
Sporting XI: Ribeiro, Ristovski, Coates, Andre Pinto, Acuna, Petrovic, Gudelj, Battaglia, Bruno Fernandes, Nani, Montero
Arsenal XI: Leno, Lichtsteiner, Sokratis, Holding, Xhaka, Elneny, Guendouzi, Mkhitaryan, Ramsey, Welbeck, Aubameyang.
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)
Hello…
16:40: Good afternoon everyone and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Europa League.
The unstoppable Arsenal are back in action. It’s been a long time since that sentence was written but Unai Emery’s Gunners will kick-off inside the Estadio Jose Alvalade looking to extend a winning streak which has reached double figures.
Perhaps the #WengerOut brigade were right all along…
Anyway, both Sporting Lisbon and Arsenal have won their opening two Group E fixtures and the winners will take control of the group ahead of the return match at the Emirates Stadium next month.
The team news and line-ups should be arriving shortly. Standby…
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)
Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal: LIVE Europa League score, goals and updates (Image: REUTERS)
SPORTING LISBON vs ARSENAL
Arsenal will be without Nacho Monreal and Sead Kolasinac for their Europa League clash with Sporting Lisbon.
Neither travelled to Portugal due to hamstring issues but Sokratis Papastathopoulos could return after an ankle problem.
Carl Jenkinson was part of the 21-man squad, with the full-back pushing to make his first Arsenal appearance in almost two years, while Laurent Koscielny, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Petr Cech all remained at home despite returning to training following their injuries.
Arsenal provisional squad: Leno, Martinez, Iliev, Bellerin, Jenkinson, Lichtsteiner, Holding, Mustafi, Papastathopoulos, Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira, Guendouzi, Ramsey, Smith Rowe, Iwobi, Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Welbeck, Lacazette, Aubameyang.