Arsenal will be looking to secure their place in the final of the Europa League when they take on Valencia in the second leg of their semi-final tie on Thursday night.
Unai Emery’s men take a 3-1 advantage to Spain after their assured victory against the La Liga side last week.
A double from Alexandre Lacazette, followed by a late Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang strike, overturned Valencia’s early lead to put Arsenal on the brink of the final in Baku.
That victory was followed by a draw against Brighton on Sunday – a result which means Arsenal must now realistically win the Europa League to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Emery will be targeting his fourth Europa League title as a manager, having lifted the trophy on three occasions with Sevilla.
Predicted line-ups:
Arsenal XI: Cech, Mustafi, Sokratis, Koscielny, Maitland-Niles, Torreira, Xhaka, Iwobi, Lacazette, Aubameyang
Valencia XI: Neto, Piccini, Garay, Gabriel, Gaya, Soler, Parejo, Wass, Guedes, Gameiro, Rodrigo
Team news:
Rob Holding, Hector Bellerin and Danny Welbeck all remain unavailable for selection due to long-term injuries. Aaron Ramsey has already played his last game for the club after suffering a hamstring tear against Napoli which ruled him out for the rest of the reason. Denis Suarez is also sidelined after picking up a groin injury.
What time does it kick off?
Valencia vs Arsenal kicks off at 8pm (BST) on Thursday 9 May.
Where can I watch it?
The match will be broadcast live on BT Sport 2, with coverage starting at 7:15pm. BT Sport subscribers will be able to stream the match online via the video player and the BT Sport app.
Prediction: Valencia 1-1 (Arsenal win 4-2 on aggregate)
Although Arsenal’s recent domestic form leaves plenty to be desired – as evidenced by that demoralising draw with Brighton over the weekend – the latter stages of the Europa League have seemingly brought out the best of the side. The trip to Spain will pose a sizeable challenge for Emery’s men but, with a two-goal cushion, Arsenal should have the means to see out this tie and secure their spot in the final.
Head-to-head:
Arsenal 3-1 Valencia, Europa League, May 2019
Valencia 2-1 Arsenal, Champions League, March 2003
Arsenal 0-0, Champions League, December 2002
Odds:
Valencia to win: 20/23
Arsenal to win: 3/1
Draw: 29/10
