Europa League
2019-10-03 - Arsenal vs Standard Liege
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: European Europa League Group Stage
Thursday 3rd October 2019 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Arsenal
There will have been some regret that Arsenal could not have taken the chances they created at Old Trafford and had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Manchester United. In most seasons that is still a point that teams would be happy to take away from the North West, but Arsenal missed out on some strong positions and will be looking to get back to winning ways on Thursday in a return to action in the Europa League.
The impressive 0-3 win at Eintracht Frankfurt on Match Day 1 has already put Arsenal in a very strong position in the Group and now the goal has to be to secure Qualification before the end of November. That will give Arsenal a chance to rest players during the busy December coming up and backing up that win in Germany at the Emirates Stadium should be achievable. Last season The Gunners won 6 of 7 home Europa League games including the last 5 in a row.
Arsenal are unbeaten in 6 games in all competitions since the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, but the draw at Manchester United ended a run of 3 wins in a row. The side have now won 4 of their last 6 at the Emirates Stadium in all competitions including 3 of the 4 played here this season, while Arsenal have scored at least twice in each game at home in the 2019/20 season.
There should be changes made to the Arsenal starting line up with the likes of Hector Bellerin, Mesut Ozil and some of the younger fringe players being given a chance. Alexandre Lacazette remains an absentee.
Standard Liege
Only one of the Champions League representatives for Belgium are keeping Standard Liege from topping the domestic table at this stage of the season which underlines the solid start made by this club. They will have been disappointed with the goalless draw at home against Vitoria in the Europa League though and Standard Liege will make a relatively short trip to London to rectify those points dropped.
Any manager who is looking to negotiate the Group Stage of either European competition will be wanting their side to win the home games and pick up something away from home. That is where Standard Liege may already feel under pressure to respond to the home draw with Vitoria, but they have only won 2 of their last 14 away Europa League games and have been beaten in 9 of those games which underlines the task in front of them.
Standard Liege are unbeaten in 5 in a row in all competitions, although their run of 4 wins in succession came to an end in the 1-1 home draw with Sporting Charleroi. They had recently lost consecutive away games at Sint-Truiden and Anderlecht, but Standard Liege ended that run with a comprehensive success at KV Oostende.
Head to Head
Arsenal and Standard Liege played in the 1993/94 Cup Winners' Cup and the 2009/10 Champions League and it is Arsenal who have won all 4 previous matches.
The two games in London have ended 3-0 and 2-0 in favour of Arsenal.
Prediction
The timing of this match is not ideal for Arsenal who played on Monday Night Football at Old Trafford and have another big Premier League game to come on Sunday. However Unai Emery has picked strong teams in the Europa League, especially when Arsenal are playing at home, and I think the manager will know his team can take command of the Group by doing that.
It should mean Arsenal are ready to compete and if they are they should be too good for Standard Liege in this one.
The Belgian team has to be respected after making a strong start to their domestic campaign, but the goalless draw with Vitoria perhaps underlines the difference in level between these teams. Standard Liege struggled against Vitoria at home and they have been poor travellers in the Europa League with 9 losses from their last 12 away games.
They should be motivated by having the chance to play at the Emirates Stadium and Standard Liege must feel they might have an opportunity if Unai Emery rings the changes, but the depth of the Arsenal team should be good enough to earn the full three points in this one.
Arsenal should also be good enough to find the goals to cover the Asian Handicap, although defensively there are question marks that does make it hard to trust them. This Standard Liege team might not be quite good enough to take advantage of those vulnerabilities though and I will back The Gunners to earn the cover in this one.
The Pick :
Arsenal 3-1 Standard Liege
BEST BETTING TIP :
I'll back Arsenal - 1.25 Asian Handicap at 1.80 BetVictor
