Champions League: Arsenal, United chase win to ease respective pressure

Arsenal and Manchester United must put league form aside to win in Europe when they take on their respective opponents on Wednesday. (Photo credit: The Sun)

After all is said and done, the dust has settled on Arsenal’s contentious loss at Newcastle, and the Gunners return to the pitch at the Emirates on Wednesday to negotiate a round of 16 ticket in the Champions League with Spanish side Sevilla.

Arsenal lead group B with six points from two games after suffering a 2-1 loss at RC Lens and could take full control of the group with a win over Sevilla on Wednesday, and regardless of what happens at the other end between PSV and Lens, Arsenal’s chance of qualifying would be almost guaranteed.

Martin Odegaard’s fitness is under scrutiny, but the Norwegian playmaker was called up by the national team for the upcoming Euro qualifiers. Mikel Arteta has kept mum about the player’s availability, but if he is not in the squad to face Sevilla, Arsenal would be down to their bare bones.

Elsewhere on the night, Manchester United will be away to FC Copenhagen. United have just three points on the board and could be in danger of crashing out of the Champions League if they don’t pick up the maximum point in Denmark.

Bayern Munich will be home to Galatasaray, and a win for the German heavyweights would send them through to the round of 16. It will go down to the last day between the Turkish champions, the Danish side, and Manchester United.

United has endured an indifferent form, and it’s also down to the poor delivery of their attacking players. Only Bruno Fernandes in United’s attack has scored more than once in the league this season for the club, and that explains their struggles.

With United crawling in the league and already out of the League Cup, a strong showing in the Champions League is the only way to appease fans that are already agitated; the place of manager Erik Ten Hag is under scrutiny, and the last-gasp win over the weekend was just a temporary reprieve.

Real Madrid needs to come correct on Wednesday too; the stalemate at home to Rayo in the league over the weekend hurt their fans, and they must allay their fears. A win also sends them through to the round of 16, but Braga won’t be easy to beat.