Arsenal will entertain Villarreal at the Emirates Stadium in the second-leg of their Europa League semi-final after a confidence boosting 2-0 win against Newcastle United on Sunday.
The North London club put in a disappointing display in the first leg ultimately succumbing to a 2-1 defeat. However, a second-half goal by Nicolas Pepe from the penalty spot would have pleased Arteta as they now have that crucial away goal.
Dani Ceballos is suspended for this game after being red-carded in the first leg. David Luiz picked up a fresh hamstring injury last weekend and might miss out on today’s game, but Arteta confirmed in his pre-match briefing that the defender could still feature.
Alexandre Lacazette and Kieran Tierney are also a doubt for Thursday’s game after recovering from hamstring and knee injuries respectively. However, the duo took part in the training on Tuesday and there’s a chance they could get a start.
The good news for the Emirates club going into the game will be that Etienne Capoue who is an important part of the Villarreal midfield is also suspended for the semifinal second leg. However, Mikel Arteta’s side will have to be wary about the threat of Gerard Moreno who has scored 26 goals in all competitions this season.
The Gunners boss will be thinking of trying out a different attacking combination from the first leg. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should be back into the starting eleven after his superb display against the Magpies.
It would be a great news for Arteta, if Tierney manages to prove his fitness. In that case, Granit Xhaka will return to his preferred midfield position with Thomas Partey.
The North Londoners are without a win in their last five home games. The last time they won at home was against Tottenham Hotspur in mid of March. Arsenal will have to go all out for this game as this is their only serious chance of qualifying for any European competition let alone the UEFA Champions League.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side need not force things as a 1-0 winning margin will take them to the final. So, the most important thing is to make sure that they don’t concede any goal.
