Arsenal vs Sevilla predictions: Gunners can grind out key win

Liam Flin
Spotlight
Arsenal beat Sevilla 2-1 in Spain a fortnight ago
Arsenal beat Sevilla 2-1 in Spain a fortnight ago

- Arsenal have won five of their seven home games this season 
- Sevilla have picked up just one win in their last eight matches 
- Recommended bet: Arsenal to win & under 3.5 goals

Arsenal's unbeaten start to the Premier League season came to an end at Newcastle on Saturday and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta will be keen for a response when his side host Sevilla in the Champions League.

Arteta was furious after the 1-0 loss on Tyneside, with the decisive goal from Anthony Gordon having been controversially awarded after a lengthy VAR check.

On Wednesday, though, Arsenal can put aside their league frustrations and focus on the Champions League with a spot in the last 16 within reach this week. 

Team news

Martin Odegaard is a doubt after missing the defeat to Newcastle with a hip problem and Arsenal will also be without Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe, Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Jesus.

Sevilla, meanwhile, will be missing veteran defender Sergio Ramos at the back. 

The Spaniards are also set to be without Fernando, Marcao and Alfonso Pastor for the trip to north London.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will want a response from his side after back-to-back defeats
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will want a response from his side after back-to-back defeats

The stats

Arsenal are unbeaten at home in all competitions this season, having won five and drawn two of their seven fixtures at the Emirates.

They have kept clean sheets in three of their last four home assignments, shutting out PSV, Manchester City and Sheffield United.

Sevilla have won only three of 16 games in all competitions this season and only one of those successes, against Quintanar in the Copa del Rey, came on the road.

Four of Sevilla's last five matches, meanwhile, have featured no more than three goals.

Prediction

All the talk after Arsenal's defeat to Newcastle on Saturday was around the contentious decision to award Gordon's winner, but the Gunners were nowhere near their best and did not deserve much from the game in any case.

Arteta's side managed just one shot on target at St James' Park and struggled for fluency in the final third in the absence of playmaker Odegaard.

Absences again mean Arteta will need to shuffle his pack for the visit of Sevilla and the likely unavailability of Odegaard and Jesus, who was the star of the show in Arsenal's 2-1 win in the reverse fixture, will not help the home side's cause.

That said, Arsenal are sitting pretty at the top of Group B with two wins from three games, and a home win over Sevilla coupled with a Lens victory against PSV would see the Gunners secure safe passage to the knockout phase.

Back on home turf, where they won their last game 5-0 against Sheffield United, Arsenal look a worthwhile bet to keep their end of the bargain, and punters should combine a home win with under 3.5 goals in north London.

Win up to £250,000 with LiveScore 6!

Win up to £250,000 with our free-to-play game, LiveScore 6!

Tags

ArsenalSevillaChampions League