Wobbling Anderlecht Expected To Struggle Against Arsenal

Arsenal will be looking to close the gap on Champions League Group D leaders Borussia Dortmund tonight (4th November) with a second win in three weeks over Belgian top-tier title chasers Anderlecht.

Last-gasp goals from Kieran Gibbs and Lukas Podolski saw the Gunners take the tie in Brussels after going behind in the 70th minute to Andy Najar`s headed goal. Fans at the Emirates tonight will be hoping for a better performance from their team who only came alive after conceding the soft goal. Dortmund top the group on nine points, with Arsenal three behind on six. Both Anderlecht and galatasaray have one point though it is the former that has the superior goal difference.

Arsene Wenger`s men go into this match in better domestic form than the last game however, having picked up six points from their last two games, scoring five and keeping a pair of clean sheets. This is compared to the one point earned from the two games prior to the previous clash with the Belgians on 22nd October.

Alexis Sanchez has hit top form, hitting two chances past Vito Mannone of Sunderland and another brace in a 3-0 win against lowly Burnley. The Chilean is 5/1 with betfair, betfred and Totesport to grab his third brace in as many games in all competitions. Nine to two (ladbrokes) says Arsenal`s top scorer will grab the first whilst he`s Evens (Numerous) to score at any time. Right-back Calum Chambers netted the other chance against the Clarets, his first senior goal.

Besnik Hasi`s Anderlecht side have risen to the top of the Belgian Pro table since their unceremonious loss against the North London club, though their Champions League heartbreak has had an effect on the form of last season`s domestic champions.

The Constant Vanden Stock side lost their first league game of the season on the back of the Arsenal game. Another two late goals this time from Jorge Teixeira and Paul-Jose M`Poku saw top-end rivals Standard Leige grab a 2-0 win away from home. This defeat was followed up by a slight 3-2 victory against eighth-placed Kortrijk and a one all draw at home to Lokeren.

This inconsistent form and their away disadvantage means that Hasi`s men are the 19/2 (boylesports) outsiders for the clash. Most bookmakers are offering odds of 4/11 on Arsenal continuing their rich vein of form whilst a draw can be backed at 9/2 (Numerous).

The home side will be buoyed by news that they have ridden the wave of their previous injury crisis in defensive positions to enjoy an almost fully-fit squad. Jack Wilshere is expected to be unavailable for selection after contracting an illness. The one-club man has, though, successfully shaken off the knee injury picked up late on in Belgium.

The trio of Mathieu Debuchy (Ankle), Olivier Giroud (Shin), and Mesut Ozil (Knee) will also be sidelined as they slowly make their way towards making a return to first team training. Theo Walcott could be called upon after overcoming a cruciate injury to come off the bench against Burnley on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Wojech Szczesny is also expected to reclaim his place between the sticks in the Champions League after serving a one match ban in Europe for his hasty tackle on galatasaray`s Burack Yilmaz in their emphatic 4-1 win. The Pole will not have to face either three-goal midfielder Steven Defour (Calf) nor 26-year-old striker Matias Suarez (Knee) who are both sidelined with recent injuries.

Perhaps the biggest threat to the home team will be young top scorer Aleksander Mitrovic who has already netted six times this season. The 20-year-old Serbian is 7/2 (betfred, boylesports, Coral, Totesport) to hit the back of the net at any time.

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04/11/2014     © Frixo 2026