Arsenal vs Lille: The Gunners are out to extend Emirates supremacy against a struggling Lille
by Thobelani Moyo | by Cydias Aujard
The Emirates Stadium has been the Gunners' stronghold
Arsenal headed into the international break in a subdued mood, with disappointment lingering after a frustrating outing. Head coach Mikel Arteta was most disappointed that his side had no answer in a shocking 3-0 away defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. It was not the first time they failed to win at Amex Stadium; that result extended their losing run at the venue to three games.
For the Gunners, that outcome ended a perfect start to their title defense. They now face the prospect of relinquishing the crown to rivals Manchester City, who have maintained a 100% record, winning their first six games. However, a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Leeds United on Saturday after the restart suggests it's still early to hit the panic button as they sit second in the table with 15 points.
Attention now turns to the UEFA Champions League - League Phase this Tuesday. Last term's finalists began the campaign with a slender 1-0 away victory over Kevin De Bruyne's Napoli. In that contest, Martin Ødegaard scored the only goal. That strike was the midfielder's fourth goal in five games.
The Gunners know their way around the league phase of this competition. Just last season, they etched their name in the history books by achieving what no team has ever accomplished before. They won all eight games at this stage and finished with a maximum of 24 points and an outstanding 19+ goal difference.
Defending champions for the second successive season, Paris Saint-Germain, were tipped to be the most dominant team in the pack but finished outside the top eight with 14 points. Still, they reached the finals and edged out Arsenal on penalties.
Another deep run is definitely on Mikel Arteta's bucket list. However, the 44-year-old enters this clash with caution. His side boasts a record against French opposition that even the fervent supporters are not proud of. They are winless in three outings against teams from this bracket (D1, L2). Paris Saint-Germain are the sole perpetrators of this unwanted record.
Apart from that, there's another record to consider which will play out in their favour and maintain their perfect start to the league phase. No French team has got the better of the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium in their last seven group/league phase matches. During this stretch, they recorded five wins and two draws. It has been 24 years since they last tasted defeat at this venue, with Auxerre winning 2-1.
Is this War Machine enough of a threat to conquer enemy territory?
Lille are in a confident mood entering this clash after a narrow 1-0 home win over Le Havre in a Ligue 1 clash over the weekend. This marked their second win in three games (L1). The French outfit will hope to carry that confidence into this contest and secure their first win.
Les Dogues began their UEFA Champions League - League Phase campaign with a 3-2 home defeat against Spain's Real Betis despite leading twice in that contest. The aim is simple: avoid back-to-back defeats in this competition for the first time since the 2021-22 edition, when they lost both legs against English opposition Chelsea in the Round of 16.
Head coach Davide Ancelotti is well aware that achieving this will be no straightforward task. His credentials will be tested against an Arsenal side that has remained unbeaten in 16 home games in this competition, recording 15 wins and one draw. Our SportyTrader betting experts anticipate a largely one-sided affair as mentioned in our Arsenal vs Lille prediction, with the hosts expected to maintain initiative throughout their clash.
Another worry is their underwhelming record against English opposition in the UEFA Champions League. With a 9.1% win ratio, Lille have won just one of their last 11 matches against teams in this bracket. It's worth noting that they've lost each of their last seven matches and have also struggled on the road too.
Lille's last win against an England club was in November 2005. A Milenko Ačimovič strike in the 38th minute saw them edge out Manchester United 1-0 at Stade de France in the UEFA Champions League group stages.
Last 5 UCL Games Against English Teams:
Season | Stage | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
2021-22 | Round of 16 (First Leg) | Chelsea | Lost 2-0 |
2019-20 | Group Stage | Chelsea | Lost 2-1 |
2006-07 | Round of 16 (Second Leg) | Manchester United | Lost 1-0 |
2005-06 | Group Stage | Manchester United | Drew 0-0 |
2001-02 | First Group Stage | Manchester United | Lost 1-0 |
Despite that away record, the visitors will likely want to draw confidence from their away competitive matches stretching across two seasons. So far, they have won nine of their last 11 matches and have been a difficult team to breach in defense, maintaining seven shutouts.
