Damian Martinez may well start for Arsenal again tonight (Picture: Getty Images)

Knowing that a draw should be enough to secure qualification once again from the group stages, Arsenal will surely be looking to make a number of points on Wednesday – mainly that they are not in crisis and can win games.

But that job has been made harder by the events at the weekend that will no doubt have chipped away at the side’s fragile confidence, while also leaving the side without even more key players.

With David Opsina (thigh) certainly out and Wojciech Szczesny (hip) most likely out, Arsenal will call on Damian Martinez to step in to the side once again. It is likely 17-year-old Ryan Huddart will get the nod to take Martinez’s place on the bench.



In front of him we are likely to see the same back four as we saw against United – Calum Chambers, Per Mertesacker, Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs.


Mikel Arteta will no doubt keep his starting spot ahead of the out-of-form-and-favour Mathieu Flamini, unless the Spaniard has suffered any problems from his comeback on Saturday. In midfield we know that Arsenal will be without Jack Wilshere who has yet another ankle injury so Santi Cazorla will no doubt come in and take his place with Aaron Ramsey taking the other midfield slot.

The front three should be the same as that which struggled to find the net against United on Saturday – Alexis Sanchez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck.

Olivier Giroud has been left out of Arsenal’s Champions League squad (Picture: Getty Images)

Olivier Giroud’s explosive introduction to the side after his injury lay-off will not be repeated as from what I can gather the Frenchman is not included in Arsenal’s Champions League squad as the club were not expecting him to be back from injury until the new year.

Dortmund have already secured qualification and will surely be more focused on trying to salvage their domestic season. Languishing in 16th place, they have struggled all season in the league, a stark contrast to their Champions League form.

It’s unlikely that Arsenal will be able to overhaul the Germans and take top-spot in the group, but they will surely never have a better chance to take all the points than they will on Wednesday.

Without a win in their last three games and with some tough results to swallow in those games, Arsenal need a win for many reasons.

Let’s hope they can find it, but, we’ll take a draw as well, right?

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