Standard Liege vs Arsenal Predictions

• Only a heavy defeat would see Arsenal eliminated from the Europa League
• A much-changed Arsenal team battered Standard 4-0 in October.
• Standard averaged 2.0 goals per game in their last five home fixtures.
• Arsenal didn’t keep a single clean sheet in any of their last 12 games.

Qualification almost certain for Arsenal

Arsenal lead the way in Europa League Group F ahead of the section’s final round of fixtures on Thursday, and though the Gunners haven’t yet confirmed their place in the competition’s next round, they are almost certain to progress.

Standard Liege can draw level on points with Arsenal with a win against the Premier League side in Belgium this week, but only a huge margin of victory would see them leapfrog the Gunners in the standings.

Arsenal should come into Thursday’s bout against Standard with a skip in their step having ended an excruciating run of nine games without a win by turning over West Ham 3-1 on Monday evening.

The Gunners scored three times in nine minutes to record their much-needed comeback win and the triumph should give their confidence a much-needed shot in the arm ahead of a difficult December fixture programme.

Belgians below Standard?

After a run of six games without defeat, Standard Liege should be armed with plenty of their own self-belief this week, though the Belgian outfit looked a poor match for Arsenal when the teams faced off in their Group F reverse fixture in October.

A much-changed Gunners XI put four goals without reply past the hapless Belgians that night with youngsters Gabriel Martinelli and Joe Willock netting three of those between them.

In total, Arsenal have three or more goals in three of their five Group F matches, and the Gunners have found cutting open defences a much easier task on the continent than in the Premier League this term.

Leaky Liege

Standard have been shipping 2.0 goals per 90 minutes on average in their Europa League campaign, and we think Arsenal have the quality in forward areas to ensure that figure is maintained on Thursday.

With the host’s defensive vulnerabilities a major factor, the over 1.5 Arsenal team goals market holds great appeal this week at the prices quoted, though our correct score prediction forecasts a 2-2 draw at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne.

The Gunners are without a clean sheet of any description since their 1-0 win over Bournemouth on October 6^th – that’s a full 12 fixtures since where Arsenal conceded.

More recently, Arsenal allowed their opponents to register at least twice in five of their last six matches, and we’re tipping a Standard team that have averaged 2.0 goals across their last five home fixtures to find space behind their visitor’s notoriously porous backline.