Europa League

How Arsenal could line up against Qarabag FK

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 02 October 2018

Ahead of Thursday's Europa League clash between Qarabag FK and Arsenal, Sports Mole looks at how Arsenal could line up in Azerbaijan.

Arsenal head into Thursday's fixture with Qarabag FK looking to register a second successive victory in Group E having already defeated FC Vorskla.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil all got on the scoresheet as the Gunners recorded a 4-2 triumph over the Ukrainian outfit at the Emirates Stadium.

Unai Emery is also looking for his side to extend their winning run in all competitions to seven matches, a streak which began on August 25.

The Spaniard is likely to make changes to his side for the trip to Azerbaijan, and here Sports Mole looks at how his side could line up in Baku.

Out: Laurent Koscielny (Achilles), Petr Cech (thigh), Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (calf), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (political reasons)

Welbeck is expected to be brought back into the team by Emery, with the England international having netted four goals in all competitions this season.

That will likely lead to either Aubameyang or Alexandre Lacazette starting the fixture on the bench, while Alex Iwobi should also return to the first XI.

However, Henrikh Mkhitaryan will play no part in the game due to the ongoing political conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Bernd Leno is expected to take the place of Petr Cech - who is out with a hamstring problem - and there could be changes at full-back, with Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal being handed a rest.

That would enable Stephan Lichtsteiner and Sead Kolasinac to be given a start, while Sokratis Papastatopoulos could return after sitting out the last two games through injury.

Matteo Guendouzi and Mohamed Elneny should be handed a recall in central midfield, but Emile Smith-Rowe is likely to only be named on the bench.