Gunners join Blues in knockout stages – but Wellbeck hurt

ARSENAL 0 SPORTING LISBON 0

Arsenal qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League with a goalless draw at home to 10-man Sporting Lisbon last night in a game overshadowed by a potentially serious ankle injury to England forward Danny Welbeck.

A victory for Qarabag against Vorskla Poltava meant this 0-0 draw was enough to secure the Gunners’ progress from Group E as Sporting had Jeremy Mathieu sent off late on for scything down Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as he burst through on goal.

But it was Welbeck’s injury just before the half hour mark that was the main talking point from a largely forgettable Emirates Stadium encounter.

The 27-year-old has overcome serious issues in the past, missing large chunks of his career with knee problems.

This latest setback comes on the day he was named in Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad for the forthcoming games against the United States and Croatia.

He was carried off the pitch following an awkward landing after he had beaten Sporting defender Bruno Gaspar to a header and it was clear he was in need of help.

The incident knocked the wind out of Arsenal’s sails but Welbeck’s replacement Aubameyang hit the crossbar as the visitors offered very little in terms of an attacking threat.

But a 15th game unbeaten for Unai Emery’s side at least assured them of European football after the turn of the year with two group matches left to seal top spot.

BATE 0 CHELSEA 1

Olivier Giroud scored his first Chelsea goal in 794 minutes as the Blues progressed to the Europa League knockout stages with a 1-0 win at BATE Borisov.

Chelsea’s fourth win from as many Group L games – three of them now 1-0 – was played out in freezing fog and memorable only for France World Cup winner Giroud’s first Blues goal since May’s win over Liverpool.

BATE, comfortably beaten last month in London, struck the woodwork three times and Eden Hazard’s services were required for longer than anticipated in Belarus.

Seven changes were made to the side which last Sunday beat Crystal Palace 3-1, with Hazard starting for the first time since the draw with Manchester United on October 20.

Blues head coach Maurizio Sarri left David Luiz, Antonio Rudiger, Marcos Alonso and in-form striker Alvaro Morata at home, with one eye on Everton this Sunday, saying Hazard would feature for 45 or 50 minutes.

Chelsea were 2-0 up after eight minutes two weeks ago, but BATE were a different proposition here, just a few days after wrapping up a 13th successive Belarusian league title.

Sarri, who was battling a fever, said: “I didn’t like the first half. We moved the ball only horizontal and slowly. It was really very difficult to be dangerous.

“Better in the first 20, 25 minutes in the second half. Then we managed not really very well the last 15 minutes.”