Arsenal will on Thursday face Standard Liege in the last group game of group F, and although the Gunners are through to the next round, they must ensure that they win outrightly or avoid a loss of a five-goal margin to avoid the top guns in the round of 32 and win the group.

Freddie Ljungberg side on Monday evening got a 3-1 win over fellow Londoners, West Ham which was Ljungberg’s first since taking charge of the team on an interim basis and as well the first in nine games for the Emirates side.

After confirming that he would field a young team, with various injuries affecting the players in the first team, the Swede has demanded of the players to show confidence and play their game without getting themselves under undue pressure.

“You have to relax. Dare to be football players, be brave. My players were, especially in the second half against West Ham. They let that handbrake go and all of a sudden they played really good football.’
Ljungberg.

However, injury problems have forced full-back Kieran Tierney out after a dislocated shoulder on Monday against West Ham United while Granit Xhaka is having a concussion and will not be available for the visit to Manchester City on Sunday in the English Premier League.

Also, Rob Holding’s knee problem and Dani Ceballos’s hamstring issue have ruled both players out.

In the group’s other game between Frankfurt and Vitoria SC in Germany, a win for Frankfurt will take the German side over Arsenal should the Gunners fail to beat Standard Liege, but they will qualify even with a loss so far Standard Liege doesn’t beat Arsenal, Vitoria are completely out irrespective of any result recorded by the Portuguese.

Arsenal are pegged at 2.05 to claim an away win over Vitoria, while Vitoria are available at 3.34 to win Arsenal.

Written by: Idowu Daniel Ademiju