Can Arsenal Progress With Victory Over Faltering Dortmund?

Arsenal host Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League tomorrow night (26th November) hoping to avoid going four games without a win in all competitions. A victory for Arsene Wenger`s North London boys would see them secure progression through to the competition`s knockout stages whilst a loss would mean that the Gunners would have to beat bottom side galatasaray in their final group stage tie. Undefeated in Group D, Jurgen Klopp`s Dortmund have already secured one of the two qualification places.

Two goals either side of half time saw the Bundesliga runners-up take all three points at home to Arsenal in their initial tie. Both Ciro Immobile and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the back of the net to see their side get off to a winning start.

Italian Immobile was also on the scoresheet in their away clash against Anderlecht. The 24 year old grabbed the opener in the third minute before Colombian striker Adrian Ramos secured a second half brace.

A brace was also hit by Aubameyang in the first half against galatasaray. Marcos Reus and Ramos hit the third and fourth in the 4-0 victory. Dortmund managed to score four again in the team`s reverse fixture, hosted at the Signal-Iduna-Park, though the home side failed to keep a clean sheet for the first time in this season`s Champions League campaign.

Reus opened the scoring five minutes prior to the second half whistle before defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos headed home to make it 2-0. Hakan Balta halved the deficit for the Turkish club before Immobile hit the third and Semih Kaya provided an own-goal for the fourth.

Dortmund are such a Champions League force not only because they have a number of players in-form in the competition but also because they have only conceded one goal in their last four games. All of bet365, betfair and Spreadex are offering odds of 7/2 on another clean sheet whilst Arsenal are 21/20 with betway to score over 1.5 goals.

Of Klopp`s frontmen, two-time scorer Immobile is 39/19 to hit his third of the season and Gabon international Aubameyang, who has bagged four in all competitions, is 21/10 with Betbright to score at any time.

Arsenal`s defence will not have to accommodate the threat of attacking midfielder Reus. The 25-year-old World Cup winner is out until the start of 2015 after tearing ankle ligaments in a 2-2 draw against Paderborn in the Bundesliga.

It might be the right time for the Gunners to play Klopp`s men, however, following the downturn of their domestic form that sees the Black and Yellows teetering precariously above the relegation places. Arsenal are eighth in the top tier of English football after their poor run though will hope Champions League progression will see them kick-start their season.

Wenger`s side defeated Galatasaray 4-1 at home following their opening Dortmund clash. Danny Welbeck earned himself his first professional hat-trick as Alexis Sanchez added another to continue his top scoring run.

Two goals in the closing stages of Arsenal`s away fixture in Belgium saw them come from behind to beat Anderlecht 2-1. Andy Najar put the Belgian champions in front in the 79th minute before left-back Kieran Gibbs hit an unlikely volley ten minutes later and Lukas Podolski completed the turnaround in injury time.

The shoe was on the other foot in the reverse tie as Anderlecht came from 3-0 down to fight out a draw. Mikel Arteta broke the deadlock, scoring a penalty in the 25th minute before Sanchez found the back of the net five minutes later. All was looking good when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain add to the tally in the second half before the experienced Anthony Vanden Borre grabbed brace in the second 45 and Aleksander Mitrovic snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat in the 90th minute.

Despite this, the Gunners are Betvictor`s 29/20 favourites to secure a victory at the Emirates, whilst glory for the away side is available at 21/10 (bet365, betfair, Coral, Matchbook). A draw can be backed at 13/5 with a number of bookmakers.

The Reds will be without Olivier Giroud who was not registered to play in the tournament by the club. Both Jack Wilshere (ankle) and Wojech Szczesny (hip) are doubts after picking up injuries against Manchester United last time out.

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25/11/2014     © Frixo 2024