Arsenal, Man U target knockout berths
PARIS: Last season’s Europa League finalists Arsenal and 2017 champions Manchester United can clinch places in the last 32 of the competition this week.
Arsenal have won just twice in nine Premier League outings but are chasing a fourth straight victory in Group F away to bottom side Vitoria Guimaraes today.
Gunners boss Unai Emery has stripped Granit Xhaka of the captaincy in the wake of an emotional outburst towards supporters in last month’s draw at home to Crystal Palace.
“I was speaking with him this morning and I decided he’s not one of the captains in our group and I decided that and I told him this morning,” Emery said on Tuesday. “He accepted my decision.”
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who wore the armband at the weekend against Wolves and will take over the role full-time, was also left out the travelling squad along with Mesut Oezil and David Luiz.
United can punch their ticket to the knockout phase tonight with another win over Partizan Belgrade, the Serbian side coached by former Aston Villa striker Savo Milosevic.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team registered a 1-0 win in Belgrade a fortnight ago and are one of just two clubs yet to concede a goal in the competition.
The Norwegian urged his United players to bounce back from Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Bournemouth that left them a dismal 10th in the table.
“You have got to react,” said Solskjaer, who is still without Paul Pogba because of an ankle problem.
Wolves will look for a third consecutive win in Group K at home to Slovan Bratislava having recovered well from an opening loss in their first European campaign since 1980.
Record five-time winners Sevilla, who have maximum points and top Group A, will advance with victory away to Luxembourg’s Dudelange, while Roma travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach in Group J.