As fans gear up for the return of the highly anticipated Champions League tournament, all eyes will be on Mikel Arteta’s men in their home fixture, Arsenal vs Shakhtar scheduled to be played on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal kicked off their UEFA Champions League journey in a shaky manner, following up their hard-fought goalless draw against Atalanta BC with a solid 2-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain on matchday two.
In a performance marked by tactical discipline and opportunistic finishing, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka both found the net, capitalizing on crucial mistakes by PSG’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Their goals, scored in the first half, provided Arsenal with the momentum they needed to control the match and secure their first group-stage win of the campaign.
Looking ahead to their third fixture of the 2024/2025 Champions League season against Shakhtar Donetsk, Arsenal is eager to build on their newly discovered form in Europe. This upcoming match offers them a valuable opportunity to establish a firm foothold in their group standings and demonstrate their ambitions on the continental stage.
However, the Gunners also face the challenge of bouncing back from a disappointing Premier League defeat to Bournemouth last weekend. That match saw Arsenal reduced to ten men early on, as William Saliba was sent off following a reckless challenge. Playing with a numerical disadvantage, Arsenal struggled to impose themselves on the game, leading to a shock loss that has dented their domestic momentum.
Arteta will undoubtedly be urging his players to use this European fixture as a chance to regain their confidence and showcase their ability to compete at the highest level.
Arsenal vs Shakhtar Head to Head (H2H)
Arsenal and Shakhtar have both met a total of four times in all competitions with both sides getting two wins apiece.
- Arsenal: 2
- Draw: 0
- Shakhtar: 2
- 20 September 2000: Arsenal 3-2 Shakhtar Donetsk
- 7 November 2000: Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 Arsenal
- 19 October 2010: Arsenal 5-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
- 3 November 2010: Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 Arsenal
Arsenal vs Shakhtar player injury updates
Despite optimism that his hamstring issue might improve in time for the match against Bournemouth, Bukayo Saka was ultimately not fit enough to feature, and his availability for the upcoming clash with Shakhtar remains doubtful.
Jurrien Timber is dalso out with a similar muscular problem, while Martin Odegaard (ankle), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), and Kieran Tierney (hamstring) have all been ruled out. Of the trio, Odegaard has the faintest chance of making a return in time for the Liverpool fixture.
William Saliba’s red card from the weekend match does not affect his eligibility for the Champions League, where manager Mikel Arteta is likely to consider some squad rotations ahead of the Liverpool game.
In contrast, Shakhtar Donetsk is expected to come to the Emirates Stadium with a nearly full-strength squad. The only player absent from their lineup is their fourth-choice goalkeeper, Tymur Puzankov, who is currently recovering from an ACL injury.
All eyes will be on Georgiy Sudakov, Shakhtar’s midfield star, who has been in exceptional form this season, racking up seven goals and two assists in nine domestic league appearances. The 22-year-old is set to face off against one of the clubs rumored to be tracking his progress.
Additionally, Danylo Sikan has a strong case to take Eguinaldo’s spot in the attack. The 23-year-old has been directly involved in four of Shakhtar’s last seven away goals in the Champions League, contributing three goals and one assist in that stretch.
Where to watch Arsenal vs Shakhtar online
The Arsenal vs Shakhtar UEFA Champions League fixture would be available for viewing in Nigeria on the online service platform of the popular paytv service DSTV called DSTV Stream. You can also view all official TV rights partners of the Champions League HERE.
Arsenal vs Shakhtar possible starting lineups
Check out the possible starting lineups of the two sides involved in the champions league fixture, Arsenal vs Shakhtar:
Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Havertz, Rice, Merino; Sterling, Jesus, Trossard
Shakhtar Donetsk: Riznyk; Konoplya, Bondar, Matvienko, Henrique; Stepanenko; Zubkov, Bondarenko, Sudakov, Newerton; Sikan
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