FC Porto vs Arsenal Predictions

• Arsenal have won five straight games
• The Gunners have won 11-0 across their last two trips
• Porto have lost seven of their eight ties with English sides in this competition
• The visitors scored 12 first-half goals across their six group games

The omens are good for Arsenal

Arsenal meet Porto in the last 16 of the Champions League with the pair suffering a combined 17 exits at this stage of the competition. Since the last 16 was added in 2003/04, Arsenal have been knocked out at this hurdle on a record nine occasions, with Porto only narrowly behind them on eight.

The Gunners should fell confident of avoiding a 10th defeat at this point, having won each of their last five games. On top of that, Porto have been eliminated in seven of their eight Champions League clashes with English sides, with their infamous 2004 success over Manchester United the only exception. That includes Arsenal’s last success in the last 16, when they eliminated the Dragons in the 2009/10 season.

Beating Porto has turned into a good omen in the Champions League in recent years. Each of the last five teams to beat Porto in a knockout tie in this competition have gone on to reach the final. Liverpool and Chelsea each did it on their way to winning the competition in 2019 and 2021 respectively, while Inter beat them in their surprise run to the final last year.

Gunners in fine form

Arsenal return to European competition having won 11-0 across their last two away games, which has reinvigorated their title hopes. Mikel Arteta’s side look free-flowing going forward, while they’ve conceded only twice across their five-game winning run.

The Gunners look to have kicked on since topping their group and they should be capable of securing a first leg lead on Wednesday night. Porto have had some issues in the league of late, while the Portuguese outfit squeezed out of their group ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk and Antwerp.

The hosts failed to score in two of their four home games in this competition last season, against Barcelona and Inter Milan. The step up in quality should be too much for a side who were recently beaten at Arouca. Arsenal were able to score 12 first-half goals across their six group games in the last round of the competition, so that alongside their great recent scoring form should see them win comfortably.

Saka to star again

Bukayo Saka took the step up to the Champions League in his stride with three goals and four assists in the group stage. No player has been involved in more goals in the competition this term and the winger is averaging a goal or an assist every 48 minutes in Europe this season.

Saka has really kicked on in recent weeks, scoring in four successive games to lead the Gunners’ good form. He’s found the net six times in that run, including a brace in each of his last two away trips. Back that fine form to continue, with the England international well-priced for a goal.