- Sevilla held Real Madrid in Diego Alonso’s first game as manager last weekend 
- Arsenal have failed to win three of their last six matches 
- Recommended bet: Draw

Arsenal looked set for a serene route through Group B of the Champions League after thrashing PSV 4-0 in their opening game, but a shock 2-1 defeat at Lens on matchday two suddenly makes life difficult for the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta will remain confident of qualifying from a very winnable group but there can be no complacency if they are to claim top spot and avoid a seeded team in the first knockout round.

Sevilla have a rich history in Europe’s secondary club competition but are not in the finest fettle.

Glory in the Europa League last season came at the expense of a poor domestic campaign, with two managers sacked during a relegation struggle that eventually ended in a 12th-placed LaLiga finish.

The man who guided them to a seventh Europa League title has now also gone following a poor start to 2023-24, with Jose Luis Mendilibar sacked during the international break and replaced by Diego Alonso, who is making his debut in European club management.

Team news

Alonso has a near fully-fit Sevilla squad to choose from, with only back-up striker Mariano Díaz unavailable due to a thigh injury.

Arsenal will be without centre-back Jurrien Timber for most of 2023-24 due to an ACL injury and reserve goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is likely to again be on paternal leave as his wife gave birth last week.

The stats

While Sevilla sit a lowly 13th in LaLiga, Los Nervionenses have stabilised after a dreadful start and are now proving hard to beat. 

Their only defeat in eight games came in a 1-0 loss at Barcelona and last weekend they held LaLiga leaders Real Madrid to a deserved 1-1 draw.

The Spanish side have drawn both Champions League group-stage matches this season, drawing 1-1 with Lens on matchday one and conceding a 95th-minute equaliser away at PSV in their last Group B outing.

Arsenal’s come-from-behind 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Saturday meant they have dropped points in three of their six games since thrashing PSV 4-0 in their opening group-stage match. 

A 2-2 home draw with Tottenham was followed by a 2-1 loss at Lens before last weekend’s stalemate at Stamford Bridge.

On the positive side of the ledger during that run of results, there was a narrow 1-0 defeat of Brentford in the Carabao Cup but also a 4-0 thumping of Bournemouth and 1-0 victory over champions Manchester City in the Premier League.

Prediction

Victory over Manchester City prior to the international break was understandably seen as a seismic moment for Gunners fans but neither team was great in that match and there have been a few unconvincing moments in Arsenal’s recent outings.

They were outplayed for most of their 2-2 draw at Chelsea and were second-best to Tottenham in the second half of their September draw at the Emirates. 

Arteta’s men were also disappointing in a largely deserved defeat at Lens.

When they click, Arsenal look excellent. Their 4-0 thrashings of Bournemouth and PSV and 3-1 demolition of Manchester United showcase the heights they can hit.

But odds-on for a tricky trip to a Sevilla side who are marshalled by four-time Champions League winner Sergio Ramos and have recently held Real Madrid and tested Barcelona is unappealing given Arsenal’s occasional wobbles.

The hosts lack the Gunners’ class and stability but have European nous in abundance and may just hold out for a point in front of their own supporters.

Back the draw, available at 14/5 with LiveScore Bet.

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