Preview: Arsenal v. Shakhtar Donetsk, Champions League Group Matchday 3

Eduardo Silva, Shakhtar Donetsk's number eleven.

Na-na na-na na-na na-na... Pic via Euro Rivals.

Emirates Stadium, London

Tuesday, October 19

19:45 BST, 2:45 p.m. EDT

• Referee: Svein Oddvar Moen (Norway)
• All-Time in All Competitions: 1 Arsenal win, 1 Shakhtar Donetsk win, 0 draws
• Arsenal's League Form: W-W-D-L-L-W
• Shakhtar Donetsk's League Form: W-L-W-W-W-W

Predicted Line-Up

guesses in red

Fabianski

Eboue - Djourou - Squillaci - Clichy

Song - Wilshere

Nasri - Diaby - Arshavin

Chamakh

Subs from: Szczesny, Gibbs, Fabregas, Denilson, Rosicky, Walcott, Bendtner

Out: Koscielny (back), Sagna (thigh), Almunia (elbow), Vermaelen (Achilles), Van Persie (ankle), Ramsey (broken leg)

Arsenal News and Notes

• No new injuries to talk about, plus Cesc Fabregas will return, likely starting on the bench.
• Jack Wilshere's three match ban applies to domestic play only; he can still play in the Champions League.
• Theo Walcott might return to the starting XI, though I'm not positive who slips out of the line-up. Perhaps Diaby?
• Arsenal has not dropped points from a group stage match at home since a 0-0 draw with Fenerbahce in November of 2008.

Shakhtar Donetsk News and Notes

• Eduardo has scored four goals with his new team and have appeared in 11 matches, seven of those off the bench.
• Shakhtar has a number of players who have just returned from or are returning from injury, much like Arsenal. Dmytro Chygrynskiy and Yaroslav Rakytskiy returned for their league match on Friday while Douglas Costa should return for this match.
• Their only long term injury is Brazilian playmaker Fernandinho.
• Shakhtar also has six points from two group stage matches; they defeated Partizan 1-0 and Braga 3-0.
• In 13 league matches, Shakhtar has won 11, lost one, and drawn one. They have a five point lead over Dynamo Kyiv.

Match Facts

• Arsenal and Shakhtar met twice in group play in the fall of 2000. Arsenal won 3-2 at Highbury but lost 3-0 in the Ukraine.
• Shakhtar's last match against English competition came in the knockout stage of the UEFA Cup in 2009, when they defeated Tottenham 3-1 on aggregate, then went on to win the tournament.
• Arsenal's last match against Ukrainian competition came in group play in 2008 against Dynamo Kyiv. Arsenal won 1-0 at home and drew 1-1 in Kiev.

The Referee

• The referee is Svein Oddvar Moen from Norway.
• This season is his first working in the Champions League and this is his first Arsenal match.

England in the Champions League This Week

• Tuesday: Spartak Moscow v. Chelsea; Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
• Wednesday: Manchester United v. Bursaspor; Old Trafford, Manchester
• Wednesday: Internazionale v. Tottenham Hotspur; San Siro, Milan