Arsenal hope to move one step closer to the Champions League knockout rounds as they host Monaco in the sixth round of fixtures during the new league phase.
Following a narrow 1-0 loss to Inter Milan, the Gunners responded with a 5-1 mauling of Sporting in their most recent European outing and can regain their position inside the top eight if they triumph this evening. Mikel Arteta’s men were held to a 1-1 draw against Fulham at the weekend with captain Martin Odegaard calling for “more aggression” in the final third and Arsenal seek to rediscover their form in front of goal.
Meanwhile, Monaco have also excelled during this European campaign and sit one place below Arteta’s side due to goal difference. A 3-2 defeat against Benfica halted their momentum but they will be confident of taking a positive result away from the Emirates Stadium.
Follow all of the Champions League action in our live blog below:
Arsenal vs Monaco LIVE
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Arsenal take on Monaco in the Champions League, live on TNT Sports
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The Gunners hope to regain their place in the top eight but defeat would hand the advantage to their rivals
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Monaco are in good form in Europe and sit one place behind Arsenal in the table
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GOAL! ARSENAL 1-0 Monaco (Bukayo Saka, 34 minutes)
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HALF TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Monaco
HT: Arsenal 1-0 Monaco
20:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Arsenal firmly on top, then, having found their groove as the half wore on to cut a pretty disorganised Monaco defence apart. Could their profligacy prove costly, though? The hosts have squandered at least three excellent openings.
Bukayo Saka’s goal was, however, rather tidily taken:
HALF TIME: Arsenal 1-0 Monaco
20:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Arsenal 1-0 Monaco, 45 minutes
20:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
One additional minute at the end of the first half. Gabriel Martinelli almost puts himself in hot water as he is whistled twice in a matter of moments, the Brazilian booked earlier and thus rather fortunate that referee Felipe Massa feels no need to go to his pocket again.
Arsenal 1-0 Monaco, 44 minutes
20:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The good news, I guess, for Arsenal is that they are creating plenty of chances in open play, which has been a problem of late. Only one of those has been converted, though – and I think Monaco will be relatively pleased if it remains 1-0 at the interval, which is imminent.
Arsenal 1-0 Monaco, 41 minutes
20:43 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The offiside flag is up as Gabriel Martinelli curls beyond the far stick as Arsenal again part Monaco’s defence a little too easily. I’m not sure Martinelli was offside on the replay – and the hosts could really be out of sight by now.
Arsenal 1-0 Monaco, 40 minutes
20:41 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It should be 2-0! Dreadful play from Soungoutou Magassa, a blind ball never with a hope of getting to Thilo Kehrer given the intervening presence of Martin Odegaard. Having skipped past the German defender, Odegaard bears down on goal and drags his effort past both goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki and the post.
Arsenal 1-0 Monaco, 38 minutes
20:39 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Another glimpse for Arsenal, Gabriel Martinelli gathering and taking aim in one movement. A few feet wide with the snapshot.
Arsenal 1-0 Monaco, 36 minutes
20:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Akliouche is left alone by Lewis-Skelly and lifts a cross-cum-shot towards the far corner. David Raya and his defenders watch it go.
Arsenal 1-0 Monaco, 36 minutes
20:37 , Harry Latham-Coyle
That really was tidy stuff from the 18-year-old left-back, under duress from Maghnes Akliouche but pivoting away from him with aplomb.
GOAL! ARSENAL 1-0 Monaco (Bukayo Saka, 34 minutes)
20:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Fine work from Myles Lewis-Skelly and Bukayo Saka taps home the opener!
A delightful passing move. Lewis-Skelly is at the heart of it, taking Martin Odegaard’s switch and evading a would-be tackler. He slots in Gabriel Jesus, who measures his low cross pperfectly to allow Saka to provide the finishing touches.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 32 minutes
20:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Gabriel Martinelli grabs a fox-trotting Aleksandr Golovin by the wrist and spins him across the dancefloor, earning himself a yellow card. The Brazilian accepts it without complaint.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 30 minutes
20:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Those two big chances do mean that Gabriel Jesus’s lean scoring run continues – for now, at least. It’s been a curious period for the forward but there are some signs of sharpness tonight.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 28 minutes
20:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Another outstanding stop! There’s no fault on the part of Gabriel Jesus here, latching on to a firm Gabriel Martinelli pass and holding off Thilo Kehrer. Kehrer gets a deflecting foot in which makes the savve all the tougher for Radoslaw Majecki, but the Monaco goalkeeper’s akimbo limbs do the job.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 26 minutes
20:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Huge chance! A superb save from Radoslaw Majecki but Gabriel Jesus has to be scoring, the Brazilian sprung by a straight, long pass that the goalkeeper for some reason doesn’t come to collect. Jesus hits the bouncing ball low on the volley and Majecki thrusts out a blocking right leg to deny him.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 24 minutes
20:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Martin Odegaard picks the ball up in the box and shakes some salsa hips in a bid to create enough room to stab a shot away. He does, eventually, curl an effort goalwards, but the required arc isn’t generated to find the target.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 23 minutes
20:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Smart play from Bukayo Saka, sent down a blind alley but using his body to force a foul from Soungoutou Magassa about 35 yards from his own goal.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 21 minutes
20:22 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Declan Rice gets himself into and out of bother, putting the pedal down to ensure a loose touch isn’t pounced upon by a pair of pressuring Monaco players. The midfielder then shows off his ever-impressive striding speed to come forward but fails to release Gabriel Jesus.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 20 minutes
20:21 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Some news, by the way, on former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, absent from the Monaco squad tonight with a shoulder injury – the American is set for surgery on the problem, with the prognosis for a return uncertain.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 18 minutes
20:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A midfield misfire affords Monaco the opportunity to come forward at speed, though support for Lamine Camara is short, and Breel Embolo almost demands the midfielder turn back to find a teammate rather than try to go it alone. Camara heeds the call as both teams settle back into shape.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 16 minutes
20:17 , Harry Latham-Coyle
That said, the game maybe hasn’t quite burst into life just yet. Mikel Arteta tugs at his bottom lip as he paces around the technical area.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 14 minutes
20:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle
That Gabriel Martinelli/Mikel Merino connection is showing some really promising signs for the hosts. Having got to the byline, the Spaniard’s latest delivery is cleared well by a Monaco defender.
Merino is being afforded the freedom by Myles Lewis-Skelly tucking in to a midfield position he would more often occupy.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 12 minutes
20:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Embolo is down clutching an ankle after a challenge from Mikel Merino, and the Emirates Stadium crowd aren’t happy at all when Arsenal put the ball out so he can be seen to. In fact, the medics aren’t even coming on – Embolo is helped back to his feet by a heave from referee Davide Massa, which draws a few jeers.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 11 minutes
20:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Soft from Breel Embolo, letting the ball bounce of a fleshy bit of his body after Monaco had worked the angles quite nicely to progress through midfield. The Swiss striker chases hard to try to atone for his error of control but Arsenal settle into possession.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 9 minutes
20:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Just wide! Aleksandr Golovin jinks by Declan Rice and releases a crisp strike that has David Raya scrambling. A foot or two wide of Raya’s left-hand post.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 8 minutes
20:09 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Merino is getting forward with relative regularity as Gabriel Martinelli holds width on the left. Monaco right-back Vanderson handles his compatriot well as Martinelli attempts to make inroads, and a neat piece of footwork from the full-back draws a free kick out of Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 5 minutes
20:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Arsenal again get joy down that left side, Mikel Merino this time breaking free from midfield. He fizzes across the face of Majecki with no teammate quite close enough to slide home.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 3 minutes
20:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle
First chance. Gabriel Jesus pinches possession on the edge of the Monaco box and is neatly played in thereafter. The striker tries to open his body up and curl for the corner but his low effort ends up straight at Radoslaw Majecki in the visitors’ goal.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 3 minutes
20:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Partey shows good strength to get away from Aleksandr Golovin, who eventually tugs him back as the makeshift right-back surges towards the halfway line.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 2 minutes
20:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Thomas Partey and Bukayo Saka collide, both down with a bump after the former had fouled Caio Henrique. No major harm done – Saka tugs his socks back up as he rises to his feet.
Arsenal 0-0 Monaco, 1 minute
20:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A fast start from Monaco, immediately into their passing stride. The ball evades Maghnes Akliouche in an inside right position, though, to end the movement.
KICK OFF!
20:01 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Up and running.
Arsenal vs Monaco
19:56 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Out the players come into the chilly evening Emirates air, following along behind an Italian officiating team led by Davide Massa.
A big night for Myles Lewis-Skelly
19:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Born in Islington, Myles Lewis-Skelly has been at Arsenal for nearly a decade already and is rapidly making strides at senior level. Usually a midfielder, how will he go at left-back tonight?
Arsenal vs Monaco
19:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle
This is Monaco’s first meeting with English opposition since their thrilling Round of 16 encounter with Manchester City, a two-legged tie that really announced the arrival of Kylian Mbappe as a force on the European stage. We’d take that sort of game tonight.
Monaco punish defensive softness to send Manchester City crashing out
Awarding of 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia will put ‘many lives at risk’, Amnesty International warns
19:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Many lives will be put at risk by the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, human rights campaign group Amnesty International has warned.
Amnesty International warns Saudi Arabia World Cup will put ‘many lives at risk’
The absurd image that sums up Fifa’s ‘tinpot dictatorship’ as Saudi Arabia awarded World Cup
19:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Miguel Delaney is at the Emirates for us tonight, ready to tuck in to some footballing action after a day dominated by a rather significant story.
The absurd image that sums up Fifa’s ‘tinpot dictatorship’ as Saudi awarded World Cup
Mikel Arteta piles praise on Monaco ahead of meeting
19:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle
“They’re a really good side, you see the run they’ve been on in the Champions League and in the league, especially against top opposition, so a real threat. A team that is superbly well organised, really intense, really good in transition moments as well with a lot of quality, so it’s going to be a very good test for us.
“We have a really good link as well with Arsene [Wenger], Thierry [Henry] as well. There’s a big history there. It’s a very special club, a special place, so we welcome them here and will hopefully be better than them to try to win the game.”
Mikel Arteta on Kieran Tierney
19:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It is a bit of a surprise to see Kieran Tierney given the comments of his manager yesterday.
“He is ready, he’s training really well and he’s going to have an opportunity for sure,” Mikel Arteta said of Tierney. “The way the team is looking at the moment, he is going to do that for that reason and because he’s earned it. The way he’s behaved, the way he’s been with us because he’s willing to do it and when that happens, you have to give those opportunities to players.”
Monaco boss Adi Hutter on the challenge his side face
19:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle
“It will obviously be a very big match for us, but we are here in London to showcase our style of play; committed football. It is difficult to face us, and we will be on the lookout for any opportunity. We don’t just want to be good opponents.
“They are very strong at set pieces, it’s a real weapon for them. They train a lot on this, but we have an idea of how we should defend them. And we can also be a threat to them in this area, because we too are very efficient.”
Team news – Monaco
18:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle
With no Denis Zakaria, Soungoutou Magassa is handed a starting midfield role for the visitors.
Monaco XI: Majecki; Vanderson, Salisu, Kehrer, Henrique; Magassa, Camara; Akliouche, Ben Seghir, Golovin; Embolo.
Team news – Arsenal
18:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly makes just his second senior start for Arsenal with the 18-year-old picked ahead of Kieran Tierney at left-back. Gabriel Jesusr leads the line.
Arsenal XI: Raya; Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
Subs: Neto, Setford, Timber, Tierney, Robinson, Heaven, Monlouis, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling, Havertz.
🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
🆕 Lewis-Skelly starts at left back
🤝 Merino partners Rice
⚡️Jesus up topLet’s move one step closer to the next stage, Gunners 👊
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 11, 2024
Unai Emery sets sights on top eight finish after Leipzig thriller
18:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, meanwhile, has set his sights on automatic qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League after a thrilling 3-2 win at RB Leipzig.
Champions League top-eight possible for Aston Villa after thriller in Leipzig
Liverpool’s goalkeepers are the best in Europe. Strangely, there are doubts over both
18:25 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The return of Alisson represents a boost for Liverpool, even if Caoimhin Kelleher has excelled in the Brazilian’s absence. To have two goalkeepers of such high quality is good news for the short-term but, as Richard Jolly explores, the long-term picture isn’t quite so clear…
Liverpool’s goalkeepers are the best in Europe. Strangely, there are doubts over both
Last night’s Champions League action…
18:15 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Back to tonight’s fixture in a bit with team news not far away, but first let’s look back on yesterday’s fun and fare – Richard Jolly was in Girona to watch Liverpool continue their perfect start.
Two familiar Liverpool heroes validate Arne Slot’s call to extend European dominance
Arsenal determined to ‘do something really special’, says Martin Odegaard
18:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Martin Odegaard has vowed to write his name into Arsenal history by “winning everything” and becoming an all-time club great.
Odegaard, who captained the Gunners for the 100th time in the 1-1 draw at Fulham on Sunday, will again lead his side out in their Champions League fixture against Monaco at the Emirates tonight.
Arsenal determined to ‘do something really special’, says Martin Odegaard
Arsenal need ‘more aggression’ in final third, claims Martin Odegaard
17:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard pinpointed a lack of aggression in advanced areas as a key deficiency in a potentially costly draw:
Arsenal need ‘more aggression’ in final third claims Martin Odegaard
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal ‘cannot cry’ after title push dented by Fulham draw
17:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Mikel Arteta said Arsenal “cannot cry” or feel sorry for themselves after they squandered the chance to move to within four points of Liverpool in the race for the Premier League title.
William Saliba cancelled out Raul Jimenez’s first-half opener for Fulham on Saturday before Bukayo Saka looked to have handed Arsenal a fifth straight win when he converted Gabriel Martinelli’s cross in the 88th minute.
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal ‘cannot cry’ after title push dented by Fulham draw
Arsenal vs Monaco LIVE
13:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A very good evening and welcome to The Independent’s LIVE coverage of Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Monaco. Both sides have made solid starts in the revamped league phase of the competition and a win for either tonight would represent a significant step towards a place in the top eight.
Kick off is at 8pm GMT.
