Arsenal’s season in the Premier League has been as close to ideal as you could hope. Coming out of the international break with a few new injuries and some questions to answer, they did so emphatically
against Tottenham on Wednesday to the tune of 4-1. It was an exceptional (and historic) night that was preceded by a few fortunate results from other clubs for the Gunners, who sit atop the Premier League table with a bit of breathing room and a head full of steam.
On the continental side of things, Arsenal aren’t far off their domestic standing. After 4 matches in the Champions League league phase, they sit second with a perfect record, trailing only Bayern Munich by goals scored. Wednesday just so happens to see 1st come to play 2nd as the Gunners host the Bavarian giants for a league phase match with a chance for one of the two sides to assert themselves as the club to beat.
Arsenal’s history with Bayern is deep and largely frustrating. The German giants have been a thorn in the Gunners’ side in Europe, having won 8 of their 14 meetings. Though this match doesn’t determine a whole lot, it is still yet another fixture that will be used to measure Arsenal’s aspirations. Win, and you exorcise a few demons while almost guaranteeing a finish in a top 8 spot. Lose, and you face the ever-present criticisms that await after a loss to Bayern while still having a strong chance of avoiding a playoff round matchup. It’s a game with strangely low stakes, but lots of intrigue as two of Europe’s best sides face off.
The big wrinkle ahead of the match is the looming PL showdown at Chelsea on the weekend. That match is undoubtedly the more important of the two, as the Blues are just behind the Gunners with 6 points separating them. Mikel Arteta has a few tough decisions to make as he looks to propel his side to victories in both. Will the Gunners come out with a strong side, or will they play it safe with a few rotations with a massive derby just around the corner?
Here are three talking points ahead of Wednesday’s match:
Know the Enemy
Bayern Munich are one of the few clubs that don’t need an introduction. They are the biggest club in the Bundesliga and are a near-lock to make a deep run in the Champions League every season.
This season appears to be no different. After winning their 34th Bundesliga title last season in manager Vincent Kompany’s first season in charge, they are running away with their domestic league once again. Through 11 matches, they’ve won 10, drawn once, and have already amassed a +33 goal differential. Until their draw before the break, they were on a 16 match winning run across all comps.
Their Champions League campaign has been note-perfect. Sitting atop the league table, they’ve won all four of their matches, including a win over reigning champions Paris St. Germain , and have a +11 goal difference. They are averaging 3.5 goals per match
The big name, of course, is former Tottenham striker Harry Kane. England’s all-time leading scorer has quickly become their talisman and has only seemed to have improved since his move in the summer of 2024. Like countless Spurs players before him, leaving behind the Lilywhites meant he finally found success, breaking his extensive trophy drought as a BuLi champion last season.
But Bayern is much more than Harry Kane. They’ve long-since been replete with massive stars, and while they may not have the same iconic names as Bayern sides of the past, they are still stocked to the brim with talent, especially in the attack. Former Crystal Palace player Michael Olise has blossomed as one of Europe’s best right wing attackers for Die Rotten, while recent signing Luis Diaz from Liverpool has been a tremendously industrious addition. Add in the likes of former Gunner Serge Gnabry, Dayot Upamecano, Leon Goretzka, Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies, and Joshua Kimmich, they are deep and majorly talented.
If Arsenal want to come out on top, they will need to do what every other team has failed to do so far and stymie their prolific attack. They have the horses to make it a long day for the visitors, but will need to be disciplined from whistle to whistle to keep them out of the net.
Injuries & Suspensions
The lead up to the NLD was rife with speculation over who would be available when several formerly-injured players returned to training after the break. Of the group, only Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke made the bench, which turned out to be more than enough to see off Spurs. Martin Ødegaard is in full training, and Mikel Arteta indicated that Viktor Gyökeres and Kai Havertz will undergo scans to see if they can be fit for the weekend.
As it stands, there were no new additions to the injured list, and no CL suspensions after Arsenal saw off Slavia Prague in the last CL match without any needless bookings.
For the opposition, the biggest loss will be Luis Diaz, who picked up a red card for a horrific tackle on PSG’s Achraf Hakimi. Jamal Musiala is still recovering from a fibula fracture, while Alphonso Davies just started training after tearing his ACL in March. Serge Gnabry picked up a knock and is questionable.
OUT: Gabriel (thigh), Kai Havertz (knee), Gabriel Jesus (ACL)
QUESTIONABLE: Martin Ødegaard (MCL), Viktor Gyökeres (knock)
Predicted Lineup
Attack: Martinelli, Merino, Saka
Arsenal’s attack made light work of Spurs on Sunday without a proper striker. After Arteta’s comments on Tuesday, it is unlikely Viktor or Kai are available to start on Wednesday, and Jesus still needs time to get match fitness up. Mikel Merino has shown that he isn’t shy about picking up the mantle in the biggest matches, and he has been an exceptional option considering his lack of experience up top. Gabriel Martinelli is back, and was an unused sub on Sunday. He has been lights out in the CL and a start helps keep Trossard fresher for Sunday’s London derby.
Midfield: Rice, Zubimendi, Eze
Like Gyökeres, Martin Ødegaard has been back on the training ground, but didn’t make the cut for the bench against Spurs. He may be nearing fitness, but after Eze’s sublime breakout performance, easing the captain back in won’t ruffle any feathers. If he makes the bench, that will be huge overall.
Defense: Lewis-Skelly, Hincapie, Saliba, Timber
I predicted a start for Myles Lewis-Skelly on Sunday, which didn’t come to fruition. I’m making the same prediction once again, largely due to the need to rotate Riccardo Calafiori as he just returned from a knock. Piero Hincapie was rock solid on Sunday and his experience against Bayern in the Bundesliga could be a huge boost. If not him, the Cristhian Mosquera could start at LCB.
Keeper: Raya
David Raya gave up the sort of goal against Spurs that you sort of come to accept as the inevitable price you pay for asking your keeper to play so high up. He’s still very much The Guy in between the sticks. No need to rotate him.
Wednesday will be an interesting match. You expect a strong lineup for such a marquee match, but there probably won’t be much hand-wringing if a spate of changes happen. With Chelsea on deck, decisions have to be made to keep the side fresh. The Gunners are very much in control of their CL league stage fate regardless of the outcome against Bayern. Regardless, wins and strong performances keep the momentum going, and are also a hell of a lot of fun. This side hasn’t shown any interest in mailing it in, and I don’t see it happening on a night when they take top billing in the biggest club competition in the world.
WHO: Arsenal vs Bayern Munich
WHAT: Champions League league phase match day 5
WHEN: Wednesday, November 26th, 3:00pm EST/12:00pm PST/8:00pm GMT
WHERE: The Emirates Stadium, London
HOW TO WATCH: Streaming on the Paramount+, DAZN USA, and Amazon Prime Video platforms
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