Arsenal’s first Champions League clash in over six years was well worth the wait. Mikel Arteta guided the Gunners to an emphatic 4-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven on matchday one, with attention now turning to RC Lens.
Arsenal travel to France on Tuesday evening to face last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up with the aim of extending their lead at the top of Group B. Lens drew with Sevilla in their opener and are struggling to rediscover the form they exhibited last season, having won just two of their first seven league matches.
Bournemouth were the most recent team to feel the wrath of this excellent Arsenal side, enduring a 4-0 humbling in the Premier League at the weekend. The Gunners are yet to be beaten this season and it would take a spectacular Lens performance to change that this week.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Arsenal’s trip to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Lens vs Arsenal H2H record (last five games)
Current form (all competitions)
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United Kingdom |
TNT Sports 2, discovery+, discovery+ App |
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Franck Haise is still without Jimmy Chabot who has now been missing for almost a year with a cruciate ligament injury, while Wuilker Farinez and Massadio Haidara are also likely to be absent.
Midfielder David Pereira da Costa could make his return after several weeks out with a shoulder injury, however, the clash with Arsenal may come too soon for the youngster.
Lens have missed Lois Openda following his move to RB Leipzig in the summer, but wonder-kid Elye Wahi scored his first goal for the club since his arrival from Montpellier at the weekend; the only strike in a 1-0 win over Strasbourg.
Lens predicted lineup vs Arsenal (3-4-2-1): Samba; Gradit, Danso, Medina; Frankowski, Abdul Samed, Mendy, Machado; Sotoca, Fulgini; Wahi.
Arteta may have been pleased by his side’s dominant performance over Bournemouth on Saturday, but he will be concerned with injuries suffered by Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus.
Saka hobbled off in the second half having scored the opening goal of the game for Arsenal and was already a doubt for the match prior to kick-off. The winger has struggled with a slight knock in recent weeks and he may have aggravated it against the Cherries, with Arteta unsure on whether he will feature against Lens.
The same could be applied to Jesus who also suffered a knock against Bournemouth. His Brazilian teammate Gabriel Martinelli is also currently sidelined, leaving Arteta short up top.
Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey are long-term absentees, while Declan Rice put in a wonderful performance against Bournemouth having returned to the starting lineup. However, he is still thought to be struggling with a back issue.
Arsenal predicted lineup vs Lens (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Jesus, Nketiah, Trossard.
There is no such thing as an easy away fixture in Europe’s premier competition, with the Stade Bollaert-Delelis bracing itself for a first Champions League game since 2003. The atmosphere will be electric inside the 38,000-capacity arena, with Arsenal likely to be put under some early pressure.
However, this isn’t the Lens of last season. Having lost important figures such as Openda and club captain Seko Fofana, Haise’s side have struggled for form in the opening weeks of the season, despite recent back-to-back wins.
Arsenal’s quality should prevail on Tuesday evening, even with some injury concerns. Arteta could choose to rest the likes of Saka and Rice, but the Gunners’ understudies should be able to deliver the goods regardless.
Prediction: Lens 0-2 Arsenal
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