Arsenal welcome Ligue 1 outfit Monaco to the Emirates on Matchday 6 of the Champions League league phase on Wednesday night.
The Gunners had their seemingly unwavering momentum stalled by a well-balanced Fulham side at the weekend after Bukayo Saka was denied a late winner following VAR intervention. Arsenal were forced to settle for a point after falling behind early on to an excellent Raul Jimenez finish.
Still, Mikel Arteta's men remain unbeaten post-November international break, with that run including the emphatic 5-1 triumph over Sporting CP in Lisbon. That result thrust Arsenal into the top eight, and a result on Wednesday would leave the Gunners in an excellent position in regards to securing a round of 16 berth.
Monaco head into the contest also in the top eight, but their standing could've been much more impressive had they held onto a 2-0 lead against Benfica on Matchday 5. Adi Hutter's dynamic outfit are poised to compete on multiple fronts this term, and they'll pose a stern challenge for Arsenal in midweek.
Blessed with an abundance of talented young stars, this Monaco team has already made a splash or two in Europe this season.
Here's our preview of Arsenal vs Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Alexis Sanchez, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco
What time does Arsenal vs Monaco kick off?
Arsenal vs Monaco kicks off on Wednesday 11 December at 20:00 BST.
Arsenal vs Monaco head to head record
Monaco were welcomed to north London for the Emirates Cup in 2023 with the Gunners prevailing on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Youssouf Fofana, now of Milan, was Monaco's scorer that day.
Wednesday's bout is just the third competitive meeting between the two clubs. The pair met in the round of 16 in the 2014/15 Champions League with Arsenal heading into the tie as comfortable favourites. However, a woeful display in front of goal complemented a frail defensive showing ensured Monaco walked away from the first leg at the Emirates with a 3-1 advantage. Arsenal battled back away from home, but a 2-0 victory meant they exited the competition on away goals.
Date Result Competition
17 March 2015 Monaco 0-2 Arsenal Champions League
25 February 2015 Arsenal 1-3 Monaco Champions League
Is Arsenal vs Monaco on TV?
Local Gooners can tune into Arsenal vs Monaco via TNT Sports, with the contest being shown on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and the discovery+ app.
DAZN is streaming every Champions League fixture this season in Canada, while Paramount+ is doing the same in the USA.
Arsenal team news
It's a relatively quick turnaround from Craven Cottage, so Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori may struggle to feature on Wednesday. Both players have been absent for the previous two games due to injury.
If neither player returns in time for Monaco's visit, we may be subject to Thomas Partey at right-back and Jurrien Timber at left-back again. Oleksandr Zinchenko also missed the draw with Fulham, while Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are longer term absentees.
Arteta should rotate in midweek, but the club's leading Hale End stars are unlikely to be trusted. We can only hope that Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly earn minutes off the bench.
Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Mikel Merino are among the players in contention to start.
Predicted Arsenal lineup vs Monaco : Raya; Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Timber; Rice, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
Monaco team news
Former Gunner Folarin Balogun has been denied a Emirates return due to a shoulder injury. Balogun shone in Ligue 1 with Reims before joining Monaco in 2023. The striker's scored 11 times for the French club in 42 games.
The visitors are without suspended duo Christian Mawissa and Wilfied Singo, so former Premier League stars Mohammed Salisu and Thilo Kehrer are likely to start against Arsenal on Wednesday.
Krepin Diatta and Edan Diop are also out injured.
Predicted Monaco lineup vs Arsenal : Majecki; Vanderson, Salisu, Kehrer, Henrique; Zakaria, Camara; Akliouche, Ben Seghir, Golovin; Embolo.
Arsenal vs Monaco score prediction
There were positive signs at the start of Adi Hutter's tenure when his Monaco side rocked up to the Emirates in the summer of 2023. This is an athletic and dynamic unit bouyed by the fearlessness of their precocious stars in attack.
They won't surrender to the Gunners on Wednesday and will aim to play their game. Whether that plays into the hosts' hands is another matter, but Monaco will back themselves to trouble a Gunners side that could once again be without two key defenders.
We can only hope Sunday's draw doesn't burst Arsenal's bubble following their recent uptick, with a win here all but ensuring Arsenal will avoid two extra games in the new year. Monaco should make this a good game, but the hosts will probably have a little bit too much given the visitors' defensive absentees.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Monaco
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