This week's Champions League fixture list brings the fifth clash in the history of the two clubs between Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk. The previous four meetings were a result of the group stages of the 2000/01 and 2010/11 iterations of Europe's premier club competition, and the home side won every one of those matches.
That trend does favor Arsenal in this one, with the game taking place at the Emirates Stadium in North London. Will the Gunners, one of the favorites to lift the trophy in June, be able to keep it going, or will their Ukrainian visitors have a surprise in store? Read on for my Arsenal vs Shakhtar Donetsk prediction to find out.
Arsenal vs. Shakhtar Donetsk Odds, Picks, Prediction
| Arsenal Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-0.5 -1150 | 3.5 -120o / -102u | -1150 |
| Shakhtar Donetsk Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+0.5 +600 | 3.5 -120o / -102u | +2500 |
- Arsenal vs. Shakhtar Donetsk moneyline odds: Arsenal -1150, Shakhtar +2500, Draw +1100
- Arsenal vs. Shakhtar Donetsk over/under: 3.5 goals (over -120, under -102)
- Arsenal vs. Shakhtar Donetsk pick: Arsenal ML and Both Teams to Score – No
I am backing Arsenal to win and keep a clean sheet in Arsenal vs. Shakhtar Donetsk.
Arsenal Preview
Arsenal's return from the international window could have gone better. Bukayo Saka, still dealing with injury, was unable to feature in their trip to the South Coast to face Bournemouth, and his side fell 2-0, in large part due to William Saliba's red card midway through the first half. To compound matters, Saliba will now be suspended for the heavyweight bout between the Gunners and Liverpool next Sunday, but that's not the main concern right now for Mikel Arteta and company.
Instead, their focus will be on bouncing back from a tough result and continuing their strong start to this new-look Champions League, having drawn at Atalanta and beaten PSG at home in their first two games. Arsenal will still be without Martin Odegaard and Takehiro Tomiyasu, but Arteta said both Jurrien Timber and Saka are in contention to play, contingent on how Monday's training went. However, if they aren't fully fit, this isn't going to be a situation where they're forced to play, particularly with how vital their availability would be in what will be a monumental contest at the weekend.
The Gunners are massive favorites, and while Arteta will still pick a fairly strong team, it wouldn't be a surprise to see names like Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior, Gabriel Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri in the first XI as they all need minutes. As is usually the case these days, no matter who is out there in red and white, the expectation is they can and should win.
Shakhtar Donetsk Preview
Unlike their hosts, Shakhtar Donetsk haven't quite gotten off on the right foot in their European campaign. They drew 0-0 with Bologna in Italy and were then brushed aside by Atalanta at home, leaving them in 27th out of 36 teams in the league phase table. Their quest to win their fourth-consecutive domestic title hasn't begun well either, as they currently sit six points off league-leaders Dynamo Kyiv just nine matches into the season. Just like their opponents in this one, they will have a chance to close the gap to the top of the table on Sunday, as they will face Dynamo in Kyiv.
Under Marino Pusic, Shakhtar have primarily followed the traditional "Champions League club from Ukraine" blueprint of a 4-1-4-1 with a very Ukrainian squad, aside from a few young talents from South America and Africa. They were able to pull off a 1-0 win at home against Barcelona early into Pusic's tenure last season, but they haven't had to face a side as good as Arsenal on the road in that time. As a result, it's hard to know exactly what the gameplan will be, especially with their defensive structure and proactiveness in those phases. Shakhtar, whether or not they want to, will likely be reduced into relying on attacking transitions, which could work in their favor with guys like Newerton up front.
Arsenal vs. Shakhtar Donetsk Prediction
At time of writing, Arsenal are -1150 on the moneyline, which, even after factoring in the difference in quality between the two teams, is just not good value. Instead, I'm going to do what I typically do, and combine my confidence in an Gunners victory with the both teams to socre market.
Having had two games in a row with some sloppy defending and mistakes leading to goals which have been out of character for such a solid back line, I like this match as an opportunity for Arsenal to keep a clean sheet. They should dominate possession and territory, limiting potential threat on their own goal, and I don't really see Shakhtar being able to create much with the minimal opportunities they will get in transition.
I like Arsenal to win to nil.
Pick: Arsenal ML and Both Teams to Score – No (-138 via bet365)
How to Watch Champions League: Time, Channel, Streaming
| Location: | Emirates Stadium, London, England |
| Date: | Tuesday, October 22 |
| Kickoff Time: | 3 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | Paramount+ |
