MONACO (Sporting Alert) — English Premier League side Arsenal make three changes from the side that played over the weekend for Tuesday night’s Champions League knockout round clash against Monaco at Stade Louis II.
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The Gunners recalled forward Danny Welbeck, who replaces Theo Walcott in the attack and the England frontman will join the likes of Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in the hunt for goals.
Manager Arsene Wenger also recalls Hector Bellerin and he returns at right back with Calum Chambers dropping to the bench, while Santi Cazorla comes into the starting XI for Aaron Ramsey.
Monaco, in the meantime, also make three adjustments from the team that won the first leg in London.
Meanwhile, manager Leonardo Jardim has named midfielder Jeremy Toulalan in his starting team after he was suspended for the first leg tie.
Defenders Fabinho and Layvin Kurzawa replace Almamy Toure and Elderson in the backline.
Former Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov leads the attack for Monaco, with Joao Moutinho, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Anthony Martial all starting as well.
Arsenal, after losing the first leg 3-1 at home, must score atleast three goals tonight against a Monaco side which did not concede a single goal at home for the entire group stages of this year’s competition.
Ex-Manchester United right-back and Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville believes Arsenal must play its stylish and attacking brand of football if they are going to break down the French side in the difficult second tie.
“They have the capabilities of turning the tie around but they need to go and play the football we saw on Saturday,” Neville was quoted as saying.
“You expect Arsenal to do what they did to West Ham to similar teams at home, they have been doing it for many years.
“But tonight night is where it will really count against a team that are shrewd, have more quality, and are a Champions League team.”
Monaco hierarchy are in delight at the way the team played in the first leg and hopes the hosts can finish off the EPL side in the second leg.
Monaco are unbeaten in their last eight European home matches, but Arsenal have “always eliminated French clubs in knockout battles in European contest and have done so five times in the past.
Monaco XI: Subasic; Fabinho, Wallace, Abdennour, Kurzawa; Toulalan, Moutinho, Kondogbia; Dirar, Martial, Berbatov – Subs: Stekelenburg, Carvalho, Matheus Carvalho, Bernardo Silva, Carrasco, Echiejile, Toure.
Arsenal XI: Ospina; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Cazorla; Welbeck, Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud – Subs: Szczesny, Gibbs, Gabriel, Chambers, Ramsey, Flamini, Walcott.