Athletic Club vs Arsenal tips and predictions: Can the Gunners fire again to reign in Spain?

Athletic Club state of play 

Ernesto Valverde’s side had started the season in fine form, recording three wins on the bounce in LaLiga. However, their winning run came to a surprise end over the weekend as Alaves claimed a 1-0 win at San Mamés. 

The loss shouldn’t take anything away from what has been a strong start to the season. Athletic Club have the best defensive record in the Spanish top-flight having allowed opportunities worth just 2.01 Expected Goals Against across their four outings. In attack, they’re equally as impressive, ranking fifth with an Expected Goals haul of 6.6. 

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Los Leones qualified for the Champions League after a fourth-placed finish last term. It’s their first appearance in Europe’s premier club competition since the 2014/15 campaign. 

Arsenal state of play

Arsenal returned to winning ways over the weekend with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. The Gunners sit second in the Premier League now on nine points from a possible 12. 

Mikel Arteta’s men are the joint top scorers (nine), have conceded the joint fewest number of goals (one) and are joint first for clean sheets (three). 

It took a wonder goal from Dominik Szoboszlai at Anfield prior to the international break for David Raya to finally be beaten. 

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At a glance, everything is as you’d expect. They have one of the meanest defensive units in the English top-tier and despite missing Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, they continue to keep scoring goals. 

An interesting tidbit ahead of the game is that Arsenal are just 90 minutes away from becoming the first side to win six games in a row against Spanish opposition in the Champions League. 

Key talking point: Arsenal’s attacking struggles 

Arsenal continue to do some real Arsenal things this season in the sense they’re perhaps overly reliant on set pieces to be a goal threat. The Gunners have an open-play Expected Goals total of 2.7 across their opening four matches - an average of 0.67. It isn’t a great return when you look at who they’ve come up against. 

A Manchester United side that has one win all season. A Leeds team tipped for relegation by the masses and a Nottingham Forest playing their first game under new manager Ange Postecoglou. 

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While Saka is missing, the Gunners spent big on Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze to ease the burden on their No7. 

It isn’t a concern when Arteta’s side are winning but, at some point, set pieces aren’t going to get them out of jail and they’re going to have to create more in open-play - much like the move for Viktor Gyorekes’ goal against Forest last weekend.

FIRST’s top tip

Pick: Maroan Sanndi to be booked anytime in the match - 27/10 (Ladbrokes)

The 24-year-old striker has already been cautioned in two of his four appearances for Athletic Club this term. On a per 90 basis, he’s committing 2.8 fouls per 90 and referees in Europe tend to be a lot more card happy. 

Extra tips

Pick: Noni Madueke to get at least one assist in the match - 6/1 (Ladbrokes)

Pick: Under 1.5 goals in the match - 21/10 (Ladbrokes)

Team news

Arsenal are definitely without Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz while the expectation is that Odegaard and William Saliba won’t be risked with the Gunners facing Manchester City on Sunday.

But Arteta may shuffle the pack in defence and bring in new signing Piero Hincapie as well as full backs Ben White and Myles Lewis-Skelly. 

Athletic Club, meanwhile, are without Benat Prados, Inigo Lekue, Unai Eguiluz and one-time Arsenal transfer target Nico Williams - who is touch and go to lace up his boots for this one. 

Athletic Club vs Arsenal predicted line-ups 

Athletic Club: Simon; Areso, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche; Vesga, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Sannadi (4-2-3-1)

Arsenal: Raya; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Merino, Zubimendi, Rice; Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli (4-3-3)

Form guide (all competitions)

Athletic Club: DLWWWLWWWL

Arsenal: LLLDWWWWLW

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Odds correct at the time of writing.