Basel vs Arsenal Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Basel suffered a very rare Swiss Super League defeat on Saturday as Young Boys beat them 3-1, slashing the gap between the sides at the top of the table to a mere 15 points after 16 games. Obviously this is unlikely to have any real impact on their title challenge, but it’s not ideal to be coming into a crucial Champions League tie on the back of a defeat.

The two teams qualifying for the knockout stages has already been settled, with PSG and Arsenal nine points clear of Ludogorets and Basel in 3rd and 4th respectively. However, the matter of who will make it to the Europa League knockout stages is still up for grabs, and with Ludogorets facing a trip to Paris Basel will know that a draw at home to Arsenal could well be enough to move them into 3rd.

It’s certainly not beyond possibility either. They gave PSG a really good game at St. Jakob Park last month and only lost thanks to an injury time winner. They are also facing an Arsenal side who know it’s extremely unlikely that they can snatch the top spot off PSG, so they may be able to take advantage of that.

Arsenal are coming into this off the back of a very impressive result on Saturday though. An Alexis Sanchez masterclass guided the visiting Arsenal to a 5-1 hammering of West Ham as they bounced back from a League Cup defeat in midweek.

Sanchez has now scored 13 goals in the Premier League and Champions League this season, and with nine of them coming away from home you have to fancy him for our anytime goalscorer predictions.

This win on Saturday made it two wins from their last six games in all competitions, but the quality of their opposition during that run can’t be ignored. They have had to face Spurs, Man United, PSG, Bournemouth, Southampton, and West Ham, so to only lose one of those games is a decent achievement in itself.

Arsenal’s defence had looked very solid indeed earlier this season, but they have now conceded in eight matches on the bounce and have only kept three clean sheets in their ten away days this season. Basel have scored in all their home games this season as well, but I can’t see them keeping a clean sheet against an Arsenal side who have netted 26 away goals this season. Backing Both Teams to Score at 4/6 looks a good option, and I’m also going for a 2-1 win for the Gunners at 8/1 for my correct score predictions.