Arsenal vs Slavia Europa League LIVE Football Score 8 April 2021
The stats
- The only previous matches between Arsenal and Slavia Prague in European competition were in the group stages of the 2007-08 Champions League – Arsenal won 7-0 at home before drawing 0-0 away.
- In all European competition Arsenal are unbeaten against Czech opposition (W7 D1 L0), keeping seven clean sheets in eight matches.
- Slavia Prague will become the first team to face three British opponents (Leicester, Rangers and Arsenal) in the knockout rounds of a European competition since AC Milan in the 2006-07 Champions League (Celtic, Man Utd and Liverpool).
- This is Arsenal’s 16th quarter-final tie in major European competition, progressing from nine of the previous 15.
- Fifteen different players have scored for Arsenal in the Europa League this season (own goals excluded).
Arsenal vs Slavia Prague Team News
Arsenal trio Granit Xhaka, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe are all back in training following injury, although Kieran Tierney and David Luiz are both ruled out.
Ondrej Kudela has been suspended as UEFA investigate his alleged racist abuse of Rangers’ Glen Kamara, while Ondrej Kolar and David Hovorka are both injured and Ibrahim Traore doubtful.
Arsenal vs Slavia Prague Preview
After scoring 14 goals in their first four home matches in this season’s Europa League, Mikel Arteta’s men seemed to lose their cutting edge in a 1-0 defeat at home to Olympiakos last time out.
Having also looked completely bereft of attacking impetus in their subsequent home match against Liverpool at the weekend, they will be concerned about the prospect of taking on a Czech side that has proved a tough nut to crack in the knockout stages.
Indeed, Slavia conceded just a single goal in four fixtures against Leicester and Rangers, keeping a clean sheet in both away legs.
Arsenal vs Slavia Prague Tips and Predictions
Coming into this clash on the back of four successive clean sheets in all competitions, they look well worth the 10/11 (1.91) price to ensure under 2.5 goals for a fifth Europa League game in a row when they face a struggling Arsenal side.
Goalkeeper & Defenders
Bernd Leno (GK) – The German has come under stick again recently for a couple of weaker moments in goal. With a defence conceding as many quality chances to the opposition it’s hardly helping his case. Regardless of all that, he’s the best Arsenal have.
Calum Chambers (RB) – Earning his place in the team following a solid 45 minutes against West Ham, Chambers looked well off the pace against Liverpool and struggled to contend with Andrew Robertson and Sadio Mane. Hector Bellerin has been nowhere near the first team of late and it would be strange for him to come straight back in for this.
Rob Holding (CB) – Back in the side after a lengthy and unenforced absence, Rob Holding didn’t cover himself in glory last time out even if few players do in a team lacking any structure and stability against forwards of that quality.
Arteta doesn’t really have choice for this one without trying something different.
Gabriel (CB) – This partnership is not the most solid of duos. The two don’t complement each other as well as Mari and Holding do, even if Gabriel is the best of the three. However, Arteta will choose the two for their individual qualities, not the collective ones.
Cedric Soares (LB) – For the way Arteta wants his team to play, he won’t like making this decision. All left-backs should be left footed, and in this system with the opposing full-back tucking in when the other one provides width, it’s essential they can perform multiple roles.
The issue is that Arsenal are a far better attacking side with Saka up front, in terms of retention and creativity. For that reason, the boss will likely select Cedric.
