Europa League Preview: Red Star Belgrade V Arsenal

Europa League Preview: Red Star Belgrade V Arsenal
15:43, 19 Oct 2017

When is it and how do I watch?

Live on BT Sport 2, with coverage from 5:30pm. BT Sport subscribers can watch the match on the enhanced video player on BTSport.com or via the BT Sport app and updates will be live on The Sportsman. 

Red Star:

Are in second place in the group after taking a deserved 1-0 win from German last month when beating Cologne. Ghanaian international striker Richmond Boakye scored the winner and is in red-hot form, having scored 16 goals in 24 leagues since moving here.

Red Star do have a creative threat that shouldn’t be underestimated, with striker Aleksandr Pesic having scored six goals in 12 games whilst midfielder Guelor Kanga, scorer of two goals in the last three games, proved plenty of assistance.

Defensively Red Star have conceded only three goals in 14 matches in the Serbian SuperLiga and Europa League group stage, although Arsenal will stretch their defensive capability as they have a whole host of attacking players who will come even if they are likely to rotate heavily.

Arsenal:

The Gunners arrive seeking to escape frustration at home once again, having taken the lead against Watford only to be beaten by the latest of winners from Tom Cleverley. Per Mertesacker had given them the lead in the 39th minute, and Mesut Ozil was clean through before shooting weakly at Heurelho Gomes, and shortly thereafter Watford were awarded a penalty that Tom Cleverley put away to level the score.

Arsene Wenger was furious at the spot kick, but Arsenal had lost control of a game they once dominated and another goal had looked to be on the cards by the time.

It was a frustrating experience for Gunners, who had built confidence from their last disaster away day at Liverpool with a steady run of results.

The biggest story afterwards was the match comments from Troy Deeney, who did not agree with Wenger’s comments on a scandalous penalty and suggested that Arsenal lacked mental fibre, telling BT Sport: "I've heard Wenger's already saying the penalty is the reason they lost. Well, I'm not going to be one to tell Mr Wenger about himself, but there's a reason they lost and it wasn't because of one penalty.

"It's having a bit of cojones. Whenever I play against Arsenal, I'll go up and think 'let me whack the first one and see who wants it."

Head to Heads

You have to go back a long time for the last meeting between these two – it took place in 1978-79 and on that occasion Red Star went through, taking a 1-0 win at home and then drawing 1-1 at Highbury.

Team News

Arsenal, with a big game against Everton coming this weekend, have made plenty of changes to their squad and the lineup will have plenty of changes – Wenger made nine of those when they won at BATE. Calum Chambers (hip) and Danny Welbeck (hamstring) did not take part in training yesterday and Koscielny is a doubt to play.

Red Star have a full team to pick from.

Red Star Likely XI

Borjan; Stojkovic, Le Tallec, Babic, Gobeljic; Donald, Krsticic; Srnic, Pesic, Radonjic; Boakye

Arsenal Likely XI

Ospina; Holding, Mertesacker, Monreal; Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Willock, Nelson; Wilshere, Walcott; Giroud

Prediction: 

A 2-2 draw. Red Star have plenty to offer. 

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