Arsenal v Zurich preview: Gunners aim to progress as Group A winners
The Gunners lost their perfect record in this season’s UEL group stage campaign after a 2-0 defeat to PSV in their last European outing, with manager Mikel Arteta stating that the loss, which also ended a whopping ten-match winning run in UEL group stages, gave them a chance to “reset”.
Arteta’s comments were on the money as the London club got back on track with a romping 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest last weekend, maintaining their position at the summit of the Premier League and extending their winning run at the Emirates Stadium to ten games in all competitions.
That’s left this red-hot Arsenal side with one final continental challenge until next year, win and secure progression to the round of 16 as group winners!
Halloween may have been and gone, but reigning Swiss champions Zürich are enduring something of a nightmare season, and almost unthinkably sit bottom of the Swiss Super League (D6, L7).
Newly-appointed manager Bo Henriksen saw his side lose 5-0 at PSV in their last UEL away outing - their heaviest-ever defeat in this competition - but has overseen consecutive victories for the first time since August, including a 2-1 UEL win over Bodø/Glimt last week that kept alive a glimmer of hope for European football in the springtime.
The domestic 1-0 triumph over Sion that followed marked the first win of their league campaign and they’ll need more of that if they are to continue fighting in Europe.
FCZ currently sit one point behind third-placed Bodø/Glimt, who also hold a superior goal difference, meaning that Zürich must beat Arsenal and hope that their Norwegian counterparts drop points in order to qualify for the Europa Conference League knockout round play-offs.
Players to watch: Arsenal’s Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka (30) may have a point to prove as he started his career with Zürich's rivals Basel and he’s already scored more goals this season (four) than his previous three combined (three).
Zürich may look to Jonathan Okita (27) to make the difference, as he has two goal contributions from his last three appearances in this competition (G1, A1).
Hot stat: Zürich have conceded 15 UEL group stage goals so far – the most of any team after five rounds.
