ARSENAL return to Europa League action TONIGHT after celebrating their last-gasp win over Bournemouth like they’d won the Premier League.
And, to be fair, Reiss Nelson’s jaw-dropping swing of his left foot may have done just that.
The Gunners, desperately holding off Manchester City in their bid to win a first title since the 2003-04 Invincibles were 1-0 down within 10 seconds of Saturday’s clash.
Mikel Arteta and a packed Emirates could only watch on as the Cherries somehow went 2-0 up.
But Thomas Partey and Ben White strikes restored parity before super-sub Nelson’s 97th-minute heroics to seal a 3-2 victory.
The nature of the win will give the scrappy Gunners a major boost going into the final 12 games of the season.
All season, it’s felt like Arsenal were one major injury or one shock defeat away from crumbling.
Perhaps for fear of being accused of “bottling it” like a certain other local club, Arteta’s side keep fighting on, despite injuries to star men Partey and Gabriel Jesus.
Like a heavyweight boxer summoning up every morsel of strength heading into the 12th round, the North Londoners just keep battling towards that title – for so long desperately out of reach.
Since their last crown, the Gunners have watched Manchester United, City, Liverpool, Chelsea and even Leicester lift the Premier League trophy.
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Long gone are the days of Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Co.
But this crop, an exciting blend of youth and experience led by Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli – and Jesus, don’t forget – could be the latest squad to go down in Gooners folklore.
Thank goodness Arsenal chiefs stood by Mikel Arteta and “trusted the process” after a shaky start.
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For now, though, the Premier League goes on the backburner.
It’s time for some European action – and the question is: How much does Arteta care?
No disrespect, of course, but Arsenal fans want, nay crave, a Premier League title.
The Europa League would be a glorious addition to their trophy cabinet and, as the old saying goes: “Success breeds success.”
But is it the one Arteta loses sleep over? Is it the one he dreams of lifting when he drifts off?
Probably not.
And with a smaller squad than City – perhaps lacking the world-class talent, too – Arteta may be forced to prioritise.
Will he send out a second XI vs Sporting on Thursday night?
Again, probably not.
Will he rotate to rest a couple of his superstars? You’d better believe it.
So as Arsenal prepare to head to Portugal for a reunion with Hector Bellerin in Lisbon, the question remains: How much do you want it, Mikel?
What is their form like?
Sporting: Well, with four straight wins under their belt, the Portuguese side come into this match full of confidence.
In fact, Sporting haven’t lost since their February 12 defeat at the hands of Porto.
During their current run, they’ve battered Midtjylland 4-0 to seal a 5-1 aggregate win in the Europa League last 32, too.
Arsenal: Pretty good. Pretty good, indeed.
That Bournemouth win was the cherry on top of a strong run of form, including a 4-0 mauling of Everton – as well as wins over Leicester and Aston Villa.
The Gunners lost their title six-pointer against Man City 3-1 last month – but that’s already a distant memory for a club currently on cloud nine.
What is the team news and any injuries to worry about?
Sporting: Boss Ruben Amorim will be hoping Dario Essugo will recover in time for the huge Arsenal clash.
It is likely to be too soon for Daniel Braganca despite returning to training from his cruciate ligament rupture last July.
Arsenal: Mikel Arteta will be sweating over the fitness of Eddie Nketiah who missed out on the Bournemouth thriller.
Leandro Trossard is also a doubt after being dragged off early with what looked to be a suspected groin strain.
However, super-sub Reiss Nelson could be given a go from the outset after his Cherries heroics.
Jesus and Mohamed Elneny are both long-term absentees.
Who will be the star men?
Sporting: Marcus Edwards.
There’s one huge reason Edwards will be up for this one: He’s a former Tottenham player.
He spent 13 years working his way through the Spurs ranks and has gone on to become one of Europe’s most-exciting wingers since moving to Portugal, initially with Vitoria, in 2019,
Arsenal: Gabriel Martinelli.
The Brazilian is likely to start through the middle with Trossard, Jesus and Nketiah out.
And, in what could be a rotated XI, Martinelli may need to make the most of his chances in what could be a tight game.
SunSport prediction
Sporting 1 Arsenal 1
When is Sporting vs Arsenal?
- Sporting’s tasty Europa League tie against Arsenal will take place TONIGHT – Thursday, March 9.
- It is scheduled to get underway at 5:45pm UK time – same time locally.
- Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon, Portugal is the allocated arena for this huge match and it can host approximately 50,095.
- The Gunners were held to a goalless draw when these two sides last met in a 2018 Europa League group fixture.
What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?
- Sporting vs Arsenal will be broadcast LIVE on BT Sport 2 in the UK.
- Coverage is set to commence from 5:15pm UK time – 30 minutes before kick-off.
- Subscription members of BT Sport can stream the entire action live via the BT Sport website or BT Sport app.
- Alternatively, SunSport’s live blog will have minute-by-minute coverage of the match.
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What are the odds?
- Sporting to win 5/2
- Draw 23/10
- Arsenal to win 11/10
*Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes are correct at time of publication
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
