Hello and welcome to
Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the
Europa League between
Arsenal and
BATE Borisov. The Gunners have already secured top spot in Group G, but BATE Borisov still have all to play for. Let's see who the two managers have selected in their starting lineups...
ARSENAL XI: Ospina; Debuchy, Chambers, Holding; Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Coquelin, Wilshere; Walcott, Welbeck, Giroud
ARSENAL SUBSTITUTES: Macey, Sheaf, Nelson, Reine-Adelaide, Willock, Nketiah, Akpom
We are still waiting on news of the BATE side, so let's take a look through the Arsenal starting lineup, with Wenger opting to select a strong side for what is effectively a meaningless match. Rather than playing more youngsters in the Europa League, they remain on the bench and Wenger has instead opted to play a team full of first-team experience.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles is the youngest and least-experienced member of the team, with the 20-year-old having made 18 appearances in all competitions since being promoted from the academy. We are yet to see whether he will line up at wing-back or in midfield, with Wenger's selections indicating either a 3-4-3 or a 4-3-3.
There is no surprise about
Theo Walcott coming back into the team. The winger has been forced to miss several matches due to illness but he makes his first start tonight since the goalless draw with Red Star Belgrade on November 2. The England international is joined in attack by
Olivier Giroud.
Calum Chambers is also making a rare appearance, with the 22-year-old featuring for just the third time this season. He will play alongside
Mathieu Debuchy and Rob Holding at the back with Francois Coquelin and
Mohamed Elneny having the opportunity to play together in the centre of the park.
Then, of course, there is
Jack Wilshere. The long-serving Gunner is making just his seventh start of the campaign but he will hope to impress his manager who was none too pleased after hearing of the injury-prone midfielder going ice-skating.
Click here to read what Wenger had to say.
BATE BORISOV XI: Scherbitski; Volodko, Polyakov, Milunovic, Rios; Dragun, Berezkin, Ivanic, Stasevich; Gordeychuk, Rodionov
As expected,
Alyaksandr Yermakovich names the strongest team available to him for what is effectively one of the biggest games in the club's European history.
Mikhail Gordeichuk and
Vitali Rodionov will be the players to watch, with the pair having 25 goals between them this season in domestic action.
Denis Scherbitski is the man who has been given responsibility for trying to keep Arsenal out this evening. His understudy Sergey Veremko had a bit of a nightmare in the reverse fixture but the younger Scherbitski has been a regular between the sticks this season.
LATEST! Before we continue our build-up, I will point you in the direction of the coverage of the early game between Apollon Limassol and Everton. A much-changed Toffees XI are currently leading in Cyprus, although they have already been eliminated from the competition.
Click here to take a look at that match.
As far as the permutations are concerned, you will probably be aware that Arsenal have already qualified as winners of Group H, but it's a big evening for BATE who, while currently sitting at the bottom of the group, can still progress as runners-up, providing that they can record a win in North London. However, they would also require the game between Red Star Belgrade and FC Koln to end in a draw. It's possible, but is a win at the Emirates possible?
The reverse fixture in Belarus took place all the way back on matchday two, and it saw Arsenal storm into a 3-0 lead with barely a quarter of the match gone. However, BATE showed enough in that game to suggest that they have enough quality in their attack to make a game of it tonight.
Click here to read back on what turned out to be a six-goal thriller.
Wenger has used numerous youngsters throughout this season's European campaign but it's the old guard who have supplied most of the goals. Walcott and Giroud have two apiece, with Bellerin, Kolasinac and Sanchez also getting on the scoresheet. You can't really call Holding a member of the old guard, but he netted the other effort in this competition.
As many as 25 different players have been given minutes in the Europa League by Wenger - that's a lot of rotation for just five matches. Just three members of the squad have played every minute, and they are Maitland-Niles, Elneny and Giroud. Holding has also made five starts, with Wilshere and Walcott the other players to feature in four starting XIs.
Tonight's match comes just over 24 hours since Arsenal announced that three of their second-string had
penned new deals at the Emirates Stadium. Matt Macey, Ben Sheaf and Eddie Nketiah are the players in question, and all feature on the bench this evening.
LATEST! There has been another goal in Cyprus and Everton have managed to score a third against Apollon Limassol! What a turnaround from the Toffees side which have been getting beaten on a regular basis. Catch the end of that fixture by
clicking here.
We mentioned earlier that this is a big occasion for BATE and that's because they have only ever reached the knockout stages of a European competition in two other campaigns - 2010-11 and 2012-13. They lost out to a Paris Saint-Germain side without the millions in 2011 before Fenerbahce got the better of them in the other season.
That said, they have plenty of pedigree away from the domestic scene. They have reached the group stages of the Champions League on five occasions, which is solid work given the size of the club. They lost out in the third qualifying round to Slavia Prague earlier this season.
PREDICTION! We have to plump for an Arsenal win tonight, and in comfortable fashion too. Wenger can't be pleased with seeing his team fail to score in games against Red Star Belgrade and FC Koln - in fact, their only goal in three games is Giroud's overhead kick in Serbia on matchday three - so expect a professional performance tonight. Arsenal to win 3-0.
RESULT! The full-time whistle has gone in Cyprus and Everton have completed a fine 3-0 win over Apollon Limassol. The Toffees played a second-string team so that is some triumph.
Click here to read our on-the-whistle report.
BATE are making only their second-ever trip to England. Back in 2009, they faced Everton at Goodison Park and managed to run out 1-0 winners. Like Arsenal, the Toffees had already secured their place in the last 32 but still, it was an excellent victory for the visitors.
Back home, BATE sit at the top of their league table but only on goal difference. They usually have it their own way in the Belarusian top flight but just three points separate the top three sides, although the current campaign is tainted in controversy. However, BATE have scored nine more goals than anyone else, and only conceded 19 in 30 matches.
It's time for the teams to make their way out at the Emirates - a less-than-half full Emirates at that. There are barely 25,000 in attendance and that is not an exaggeration.
A reminder of the team news...
ARSENAL XI: Ospina; Debuchy, Chambers, Holding; Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Coquelin, Wilshere; Walcott, Welbeck, Giroud
BATE BORISOV XI: Scherbitski; Volodko, Polyakov, Milunovic, Rios; Dragun, Berezkin, Ivanic, Stasevich; Gordeychuk, Rodionov
KICKOFF! BATE get us underway.
It's been a strong start from the visitors, who have the ball inside the Arsenal penalty area within 30 seconds. However, the home side do enough to allow a scuffed shot reach Ospina.
WOODWORK! Back come Arsenal and Maitland-Niles hits the post! A flick inside to the midfielder leaves him with plenty of time and space but his left-foot volley strikes the post and goes wide.
There is no atmosphere whatsoever at the Emirates. This is going to be a test for the home side. They need to lift the mood. The BATE travelling support can be heard, though. Fair play to them.
SHOT! BATE get forward again and Ivanic is given the chance to get a shot on goal from 25 yards out. His half-volley is well struck, but never threatening Ospina's goal.
Wilshere is getting on the ball and trying to engineer a chance for the front three. It's a packed BATE defence, however. Walcott has just poleaxed a BATE defender with a venomous effort from the edge of the area. It leads to a break in play but the player is alright to continue.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 BATE Borisov (Mathieu Debuchy)
Blimey - Debuchy has scored a screamer. Good work from Walcott leads to the ball being diverted into the path of the defender, who lets fly with a first-time strike from 18 yards and finds the bottom corner of the net. It's just his second goal for the Gunners.
That goal makes BATE's job a whole lot tougher. They require at least two goals to keep their hopes of progression alive, although I can't see Arsenal being restricted to just the one.
We are through 15 minutes at the Emirates and Arsenal have started to step it up a gear. There is an urgency about their play which will please Wenger.
BOOKING! Valadzko deservedly goes into the book for a late challenge on Debuchy.
Welbeck has barely featured in these opening 19 minutes but he gets into the action by going to ground far too easily on the edge of the area. Right decision from the referee to just award a goal kick.
I mentioned that Arsenal had been playing at a high tempo but that has slowed down over the past few minutes, even without BATE doing much themselves. It's still really comfortable for the home side.
CHANCE! Maybe the goalkeeper is getting bored because Scherbitskiy has just come racing out of his goal to try to prevent Welbeck from getting the ball. However, the forward gets there first and has a chance to slot into an empty net from distance, but the stopper just about does enough to block his shot.
LATEST! It may prove to be irrelevant to BATE but Red Star Belgrade have taken the lead against FC Koln. As it stands, they are moving through to the last 32.
CHANCE! How has Scherbitskiy saved this?! Giroud's header leads to Walcott having the chance to score from close range but the BATE goalkeeper sticks a leg out to divert the ball over the crossbar.
SHOT! Arsenal are upping the tempo again. They win a free kick on the edge of the box and Walcott and Wilshere are standing over it. Walcott takes responsibility but his low strike goes just wide of the far post.
Wilshere goes rampaging forward and despite finding Walcott with a pass, he gets a knock to the face from Milunovic. Debatable whether it was intentional or not.
Arsenal are really starting to push for this second goal. If they can find it, it would allow Wenger to get some of his youngsters onto the pitch. That's what everyone really wants to see tonight.
We've had a brief stoppage in play due to an injury to Coquelin. He's soon back on his feet, though. It appeared to be a knock to his back.
Walcott has been excellent this evening. Everything he has tried has not necessarily come off, but the winger is working harder than anyone else. He either wants to impress Wenger or put himself in the shop window.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 BATE Borisov (Theo Walcott)
Just like that, Walcott scores - I wish I could take credit for it. Welbeck breaks forward but overruns the ball in the area. However, the defender's interception goes straight to Walcott, who lashes the ball into the bottom corner from close range. Game over, you'd have to say.
SHOT! Walcott tries his luck again but from much further out. He probably got a bit carried away. The shot goes well wide of the far post.
CHANCE! Again, it's Walcott, and it takes a miraculous clearance off the line from Milunovic to stop the winger from finding the bottom corner from eight yards out. BATE are all over the place.
SHOT! Wilshere was going to pass here but the fans demanding "shoot!" changed his mind. It's an excellent effort, too, but the goalkeeper tips his long-range curler over the crossbar.
GOAL! Arsenal 3-0 BATE Borisov (Jack Wilshere)
It doesn't take much longer for Wilshere to get his first goal for Arsenal since May 2015. After receiving the ball from Walcott, the midfielder flicked the ball onto his left foot before drilling a shot into the far corner from 16 yards. Excellent goal.
There will be one minute of added-on time.
HALF TIME: Arsenal 3-0 BATE Borisov
The half-time whistle goes at the Emirates Stadium and Arsenal are strolling to victory. Debuchy, Walcott and Wilshere have all gotten on the scoresheet and the Gunners could at least double their three goals after the restart. It really has been that easy.
Arsenal's first goal arrived in some style, with Debuchy finding the bottom corner from just inside the penalty area for just his second in a Gunners shirt. Given all of his injury troubles, there was a huge smile on the Frenchman's face when it went in.
The second goal came through Walcott, who found the bottom corner from close range, but the moment of the opening 45 minutes came from Wilshere, who scored with a well-struck effort from 16 yards out. The midfielder has endured a frustrating time, but the sparse crowd were delighted with his first Arsenal goal in over two-and-a-half years.
BATE started brightly enough but since the opening 10 minutes, they have offered absolutely nothing. To compound their misery, Red Star Belgrade are beating FC Koln. They are as good as out of this competition.
We are just waiting for the teams to make their way back out at the Emirates. I'd expect Wenger to hold fire with his substitutions for now but hopefully it isn't too long before he makes some changes.
KICKOFF! Arsenal get us back underway.
Arsenal have reportedly announced an attendance of just under 55,000, which is a big old fib. There is barely half that.
A slow start from both sides is interrupted by a late challenge from Ryas on Wilshere. He is lucky to avoid a booking.
I hope the current tempo is not setting the mood for the remainder of this match. There's no atmosphere and Arsenal are content to pass the ball about in defence and midfield.
GOAL! Arsenal 4-0 BATE Borisov (Dzyanis Palyakow own goal)
Arsenal go further ahead thanks to a fine finish from Palyakow into his own net. Wilshere plays in Walcott and although the cross is intended for Welbeck, the defender intervenes to send the ball into the roof of the net.
Due to that fourth goal, the tempo and mood has heightened and now we are back in the groove of the first half. Arsenal have previously recorded seven goals in a European match on two occasions. They may have eyes on that.
SHOT! Giroud is probably feeling left out and he decides to take it upon himself to shoot from 25 yards. However, his effort is deflected wide of the post.
SUBSTITUTION! BATE make their first change with Signevich coming on for Rodionov.
SAVE! What an outstanding save from Scherbitskiy but he did not know much about it. Welbeck cut inside onto his left foot but with only the goalkeeper to beat from 10 yards, he sent his shot into the face of the stopper. Arsenal have now had 23 efforts on goal...
Still no sign of any substitutions from Wenger. He will be delighted with this performance but he will surely give some of his youngsters a go in these remaining 30 minutes.
PENALTY TO ARSENAL! Milunovic fells Walcott inside the penalty and it's an easy decision for the referee.
Giroud lashes the ball into the top corner but the referee has cancelled it out for encroachment! There were four BATE players and just one Arsenal player...
GOAL! Arsenal 5-0 BATE Borisov (Olivier Giroud)
Giroud goes the same side - to the left of the goalkeeper - and he just manages to squeeze his shot into the corner.
The first Arsenal alteration is about to happen. I assume it will be the first of three in quick succession.
SHOT! Finally some work for Ospina! Stasevich turns sharply inside the penalty area but his effort is straight into the hands of the stand-in goalkeeper.
SUBSTITUTION! Now Stasevich is being brought off. Harsh. Tuominen is his replacement.
SUBSTITUTION! Nelson finally manages to get onto the pitch, with Walcott the man to make way.
Nelson soon gets into the action after being played into the penalty area by Wilshere, but the youngster tries to do too much and BATE clear the danger.
GOAL! Arsenal 6-0 BATE Borisov (Mohamed Elneny)
Arsenal have a sixth with Elneny the unlikely source. Wilshere tees up the Egyptian on the left side of the penalty area and he wastes no time in sending a first-time shot into the far top corner. The goalkeeper had no chance.
SUBSTITUTION! A third and final change for BATE sees Yablonskiy replace Ivanic.
SUBSTITUTIONS! Wenger makes his last two alterations too, with Willock and Nketiah coming on for Elneny and Welbeck.
Arsenal definitely still fancy their chances of a seventh, and maybe even a record-breaking eighth. BATE are trying to score a consolation over settling for a six-goal defeat, so it may still happen.
After a BATE attack breaks down, Arsenal come storming forward and Wilshere insists on setting up Nelson. Again though, the winger does too much and is dispossessed.
This win is going to be Wenger's 700th in all competitions. Not bad, is it?
It's showboating time for Arsenal. They are trying to walk the ball into the net when they should probably be trying to show a ruthless touch in front of goal. Wilshere is trying dinks here and there but they aren't coming off.
SHOT! BATE still want this consolation goal. The ball arrives at the feet of Berezkin on the edge of the area, but he curls just wide of Ospina's far post. I think he had it covered.
I think Arsenal are going to have to settle for six. This match is starting to fizzle out.
There will be two minutes of added-on time.
FULL TIME: Arsenal 6-0 BATE Borisov
The full-time whistle goes at the Emirates Stadium and Arsenal have completed an easy 6-0 over BATE, who bow out of the competition. The Gunners should have netted more goals, but Wenger will be delighted with this showing ahead of the knockout stages.
That will be all from
Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us this evening and we hope to see you again soon.
If you would like to read our on-the-whistle match report, you can do so by clicking here. Goodbye for now.