Kick-off: 2000, 16/03/2023
Stadium: Emirates Stadium
TV: BT Sport
Arsenal were given a tough work-out when drawing 2-2 with Sporting in Lisbon but will hope to come good in the return fixture.
The Gunners have a great Europa League record in recent years and won all three group-stage games at Emirates Stadium this season.
We’re taking 31/10 for Mikel Arteta’s men to win the second leg by exactly two goals for our initial Arsenal vs Sporting Lisbon prediction.
Omens look good for Gunners
Arteta fielded a strong side in Portugal and Arsenal went in front in the 21st minute when an unmarked William Saliba headed in a corner.
However, Sporting hit back in almost identical fashion through Goncalo Inacio a dozen minutes later.
Paulinho put the Lions ahead when pouncing on the rebound after Matt Turner could only parry out a low shot from Pedro Goncalves.
The 30-year-old front man then missed a golden opportunity to double his tally and Granit Xhaka’s heavily-deflected shot levelled things up.
“Considering we conceded two goals away from home, we have to take some positives from it,” commented Arteta.
“There are things to improve, but we showed a lot of resilience. We now have to show that we are the better team.”
The Gunners are five points clear at the Premier League summit following Sunday’s impressive 3-0 win at Fulham and know how to get the job done in this competition.
They were runners-up to Chelsea in 2019 and reached the semi-finals in 2018 and 2021.
Having claimed three clean-sheet victories in London during the group stage, 6/5 for another home win to nil appeals from the Arsenal vs Sporting Lisbon odds.
Lions fail to roar in big games
Sporting were a touch unfortunate not to qualify from their Champions League group after taking four points off Tottenham.
The Lions netted twice in the closing stages to beat Spurs 2-0 at home and led for a long time when drawing 1-1 in London.
However, they were beaten 4-1 and 2-0 by Marseille and a 2-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in Lisbon on Matchday 6 proved decisive.
A 4-0 victory away to Midtjylland in the last round of this tournament was impressive and Sunday’s 3-0 defeat of Boavista made it four straight wins in Liga Portugal bwin.
Reflecting on the opening encounter with Arsenal, forward Marcus Edwards said: “It was a good game, we should have won.
“Now we have to do the same, play the same way, so we are confident for the second leg.”
There is talent in this team, but the nagging doubt remains over a poor record in big matches when it matters most.
Ruben Amorim’s side are only fourth in their domestic table and have picked up just one point from three games against Benfica and Porto.
The Gunners’ January signing Jorginho scored some important goals for Chelsea in Europe and 4/1 for him to net in a home win completes our Arsenal vs Sporting Lisbon betting tips.
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