First plays last in the final round of Champions League league phase fixtures when table toppers Arsenal face winless Kairat Almaty.
The Gunners have already clinched their place in the last 16 of the competition after seven successive European victories and will be guaranteed top spot if they avoid defeat to their Kazakhstani opponents on Wednesday night. Given Kairat are already eliminated having picked up just one point during their debut campaign, Arsenal should have few issues.
Frustration will still be lingering in the air at the Emirates Stadium, however, with Arsenal having tasted defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. The 3–2 loss saw their lead at the division’s summit slashed to just four points as questions are raised over the mental fortitude of Mikel Arteta’s men.
Arsenal should at least return to winning ways and provide some much-needed rests for key personnel on Wednesday, even if the fixture has little riding on it.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to the clash.
What Time Does Arsenal vs. Kairat Kick-Off?
Location: London, England
Stadium: Emirates Stadium
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 28
Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT
Referee: Urs Schnyder (SUI)
VAR: Fedayi San (SUI)
Arsenal vs. Kairat Head-to-Head Record
This is the first ever competitive fixture between Arsenal and Kairat.
Current Form (All Competitions)
Arsenal Kairat
Arsenal 2–3 Man Utd - 25/1/26 Kairat 1–4 Club Brugge - 20/1/26
Inter 1–3 Arsenal - 20/1/26 Kairat 0–1 Olympiacos - 9/1/26
Nottingham Forest 0–0 Arsenal - 17/1/26 Copenhagen 3–2 Kairat - 26/11/25
Chelsea 2–3 Arsenal - 14/1/26 Inter 2–1 Kairat - 5/11/26
Portsmouth 1–4 Arsenal - 11/1/26 Kairat 1–1 Astana – 26/11/26
How to Watch Arsenal vs. Kairat on TV, Live Stream
Country TV channel/live stream
United Kingdom TNT Sports 7, discovery+, discovery+ App
United States Paramount+, ViX
Canada DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada
Mexico FOX One
MORE: Full list of Champions League broadcasters around the world
Arsenal Team News
Riccardo Calafiori
Riccardo Calafiori could return. | Joe Prior/Visionhaus/Getty Images
Piero Hincapié returned to the starting lineup for the clash with United following a short stint on the sidelines but Riccardo Calafiori remained absent from the squad. The Italian is back in training, though, potentially earning some minutes against Kairat.
Kai Havertz was also absent from the squad against United as Arsenal continue with caution regarding his reintroduction. However, Arteta has confirmed he will earn minutes in the coming weeks and he could feature in some capacity midweek.
Arsenal’s only guaranteed absentee against Kairat is youngster Max Dowman, with Arteta likely to make sweeping changes from the United clash.
Arsenal predicted lineup
Significant alterations will be made. | FotMob
Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Kairat (4-2-3-1): Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapié, Lewis-Skelly; Nørgaard, Merino; Madueke, Eze, Martinelli; Gyökeres.
Kairat Team News
Kairat Almaty
Kairat will hope to do themselves proud in London. | FILIPE AMORIM/AFP/Getty Images
Kairat’s domestic season doesn’t begin until March, with the club’s last four matches all coming in the Champions League, but they are still battling some fitness issues.
Dastan Satpayev, who will join Chelsea this summer, could miss out after he was absent from last week’s 4–1 defeat to Club Brugge. The 17-year-old could be joined by Olzhas Baybek and Azamat Tuyakbayev on the sidelines.
Kairat’s winter recruits are ineligible to feature.
Kairat Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal
Kairat predicted lineup
The odds are stacked against Kairat. | FotMob
Kairat predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Anarbekov; Tapalov, Martynovich, Sorokin, Mata; Glazer, Kasabulat; Mrynskiy, Jorginho, Gromyko; Edmilson.
Arsenal vs. Kairat Score Prediction
Kairat are bottom of the standings for a reason. One draw, six defeats and 19 goals conceded tells the story of a side completely out of their depth.
A first Champions League league phase victory will have to wait until a future season with the minnows unlikely to even get on the scoresheet against Arsenal, let alone secure a miraculous victory.
Even a much-changed Arsenal XI should waltz to three points and maintain the club’s perfect European record, with the lack of pressure perhaps allowing for a more free-flowing performance than Arteta witnessed against United at the weekend.
Prediction: Arsenal 3–0 Kairat
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