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Sporting: This whitethorn beryllium dubbed nan unofficial Viktor Gyökeres derby and it remains to beryllium seen really overmuch effect nan Swede will person arsenic he returns to his erstwhile stomping ground.
However, Sporting fans person a new, shiny striker to boast astir successful Luis Suárez (no, not that one) of Colombia. Where Gyökeres stood retired for beingness powerfulness – bullying defenders, dominating duels and attacking abstraction down nan backline – Suárez operates differently. He is acold much progressive successful nan buildup, dictating movements successful nan last third. He has superior method to Gyökeres, moreover if he is somewhat little lethal. With 33 goals successful 42 appearances, nan 28-year-old has quickly made supporters hide his predecessor and tops nan league’s scoring chart.
Read much from Miguel Dantas below.
Arsenal: Mikel Arteta has insisted that his broadside will not panic aft losing successive games for nan first clip this play but admitted that they must rediscover their personality to get their run backmost connected track.
The Premier League leaders saw their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple crumble pinch defeats by Manchester City in nan Carabao Cup final and nan Championship broadside Southampton in nan FA Cup.
Asked whether he was concerned astir his side’s expertise to header pinch unit situations, Arteta said:
double quotation markNo. I deliberation erstwhile you person nan opportunity that we have, that has to beryllium taken done excitement, done preparing yourself successful nan champion imaginable way, focusing connected nan coming and connected nan things that we person to do. And particularly successful our identity, it’s very clear what is taking america connected nan measurement to wherever we are, and that’s wherever we person to focus.
There are parts and identities created by behaviours, not pinch words successful nan world, aliases pinch things that I want to achieve. And we person truthful galore facts successful nan areas that, successful our opinion, make america nan squad and nan nine that we are.
Read much from Ed Aarons below.
Preamble
It has not been nan champion fortnight for Arsenal, having mislaid nan Carabao Cup last and been knocked retired of nan FA Cup successful back-to-back matches. They will hoping to debar a 3rd consecutive nonaccomplishment successful Lisbon arsenic they return connected Sporting for their Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Still, nan Premier League is much aliases little secured (too early to opportunity that?!) and Mikel Arteta’s men will backmost themselves successful this necktie arsenic they proceed their pursuit of European glory, having been nan only broadside this play yet to suffer conclusion successful this competition.
As underdogs, Sporting will dream that they tin return advantage of their location form, having won their past 17 matches astatine at Estádio José Alvalade. Five of those wins person travel successful nan Champions League this season, including a breathtaking 5-0 thumping successful nan 2nd limb of nan past 16 aft needing to turnaround a 3-0 nonaccomplishment astatine Bodø/Glimt.
Can nan Portuguese giants onslaught first aliases will Arsenal prehend control? Join maine for nan 8pm BST kick-off successful Lisbon and, arsenic always, get successful touch via email if you person immoderate thoughts, predictions, questions, complaints aliases concerns. Team news to travel shortly.
