Olympiacos vs Arsenal prediction, preview, team news and more | Europa League 2019-20
Arsenal will travel to Greece to play against Olympiacos FC on Thursday night. The Gunners qualified for the Round of 32 after emerging top of Group F with 11 points from six matches. Meanwhile, Olympiacos dropped into the Europa League after they finished third in Group B of the UEFA Champions League which also involved Bayern Munich and Tottenham.
Over the weekend, Mikel Arteta's side registered their first Premier League victory since beating Manchester United in early January. Mesut Özil and Alexandre Lacazette were among the goalscorers and the result will serve a confidence booster for everyone on the team.
Finishing in the top six still seems achievable with Arsenal five points adrift of Sheffield United who are in sixth. But for now, their attention will be the first leg tie of the Europa League clash against their Greek opponents.
Also read | Arsenal 4-0 Newcastle United: 3 factors which stood out in the match | Premier League 2019-20
Olympiacos vs Arsenal Head-to-Head
Out of the eight matches where both sides have met, none of them have ended in a draw. Arsenal have won four of them and their most recent victory over their opponents was back in December 2015. In that particular fixture, the Gunners won 0-3 away from home, thanks to a hat-trick from Olivier Giroud.
Currently, Olympiacos are at the top of the Super League Greece table standings with 60 points from 24 games. The Greek club have also won four out of their last five league games. On the other hand, Arsenal are 10th in the Premier League table standings.
Olympiacos form guide: W-W-W-D-W
Arsenal form guide: W-D-D-D-D
Olympiacos vs Arsenal Team News
Arsenal's January signing, Pablo Marí, featured for the first time when he played for the Under-23s side. However, with just 45 minutes of action under his belt, it is unlikely that the defender will travel to Greece this week.
Meanwhile, Matteo Guendouzi who reportedly fell out with Arteta could return to the squad for the Europa League clash. The French youngster was omitted for the first time this season when the Gunners beat Newcastle United last weekend. In order to give some of his first-team players a break, the manager is likely to recall him and may reinstate his position in the starting eleven.
Injuries: Cedric Soares, Kieran Tierney, Calum Chambers
Suspended: None
Olympiacos vs Arsenal Predicted XI
Arsenal Predicted XI: Emiliano Martinez; Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Shkodran Mustafi, Sead Kolasinac; Matteo Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira; Gabriel Martinelli, Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson; Alexandre Lacazette
Olympiacos vs Arsenal Prediction
The morale among the Arsenal players is high after a two-week break and a convincing victory over Newcastle United. However, they should not belittle their opponents who have won three consecutive matches prior to this clash.
If Arteta were to give Martinelli the chance to start, the 18-year-old forward will definitely be a goalscoring threat. In the group stage, he attracted everyone's attention by scoring three goals and providing three assists in five Europa League games. For this upcoming match, the youngster could dominate the stage once again.
Verdict: Olympiacos 1-3 Arsenal
Also Read: Why Mesut Özil can find Arsenal redemption under Mikel Arteta | Premier League 2019-20