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Arsenal vs Slavia Prague preview: How to watch, predicted lineups, score prediction & injury updates
Arsenal host Slavia Prague in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday, in the biggest match of Mikel Arteta’s managerial career. Here is the preview.
Olympiacos in the last round was Arteta’s biggest game. After Thursday, the following Thursday will then become Arteta’s biggest game. It’s quite simple: Europa League or bust.
If Arsenal had have crashed out of the competition in the previous round it would have been devastating. However, there was still a glimmer of hope that European football could be secured via the Premier League. That fire has been extinguished.
As far as the draw went, it was near perfect. Yes, Granada on paper were the ideal opponent, but managing to avoid Manchester United, Ajax and Roma en route to a potential final was as good as the Gunners could have hoped for.
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Arsenal vs Slavia Prague preview: Europa League quarter-final first leg meeting at the Emirates Stadium
The Czech side are no easy ride. Eliminating Leicester and Rangers to reach this stage, in general any club in a quarter-final of a European competition deserves their place. There is an ongoing case against one of their players for alleged racist abuse hanging over their heads, but this is a focused and energetic side who are cute in the way they approach matches.
Adaptable and tactically flexible, they strike a neat balance between physicality and flair.
Thursday’s home side are at a worrying point. Clear improvements from the turn of the year have been countered with moments of lunacy, as well as insipid performances like last time out against Liverpool.
Inconsistencies in everything they do risk tarnishing the trajectory the side is on, and they can dispel the notion of progression and replace it with regression if they falter at this stage against this opposition.
Arsenal aren’t helped by injuries at key moments. There were certain absences that rocked the performance against Liverpool that Arteta will be hoping, praying and needing to have back in midweek.
How to Watch on TV
When Is Kick Off? Thursday 8 April
What Time Is Kick Off? 20:00 (GMT)
Where Is it Played? Emirates Stadium
TV Channel/Live Stream? BT Sport (UK) fuboTV (USA)
Referee? Andreas Ekberg