Sporting CP vs Arsenal - Champions League: TV channel, prediction, team news and lineups

Sporting have won nine of their last 15 home games against English opposition, while Arsenal have won only one of nine visits to Portugal, this though a 1-0 victory at Estádio José Alvalade in 2018 and they'd certainly settle for a repeat scoreline.

Sporting CP vs Arsenal Preview

Can Arsenal climb into the top eight of the Champions League table? Last time out in this competition, the Gunners' unbeaten record in the league phase came to an end, defeated 1-0 by Inter at San Siro, the only goal a penalty, after Mikel Merino was harshly penalised for handball. This though means Arsenal have won only one of their last eight Champions League away games, including holding Atalanta to a goalless draw in Bergamo back in September.

Mikel Arteta's team find themselves 12th in the gigantic league table, aiming to climb into the top eight, while they're still searching for a statement road victory in this tournament, without which they're never going to make any headway. At the weekend, Arsenal very much lifted the mood by swatting aside Nottingham Forest 3-0, thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey and 17 year old Ethan Nwaneri in North London. This ended the Gunners' four-match winless streak in the league, so can they now get back to winning ways in the Champions League too?

Sporting Clube de Portugal though will come into this tie with confidence sky-high, not least because they smashed Manchester City 4-1 earlier this month, with the seemingly unstoppable Viktor Gyökeres scoring a hat-trick. The Leões therefore remain unbeaten in the Champions League, previously racking up 2-0 wins over both Lille and Sturm Graz, held to a 1-1 draw by PSV Eindhoven, thereby flying-high, second in the table, on course to reach the round of 16 for only the third time in 42 years.

Of course, Sporting have primarily been in the news because manager Rúben Amorim has departed for Man United, with B-team coach João Pereira now in charge. Nevertheless, fair to say, the Green and Whites are doing well in the Primeira Liga, winning 11 out of 11 to date, scoring 39 goals and conceding just five, crushing fourth-tier Amarante 6-0 in Friday night's Taça de Portugal tie. Thus, those inside Estádio José Alvalade will be expecting to see their side claim another statement win.

Sporting CP vs Arsenal Head-to-Head Record

• Matches Played: 6.

• Sporting CP Wins: 0. Draws: 2. Arsenal Wins: 4.

Sporting CP Team News

João Pereira heavily-rotated in the cup on Friday, but did stick with Rúben Amorim's trademark 3-4-3 shape. Around eight changes are expected, but Pedro Gonçalves, who scored from the half-way line when Sporting knocked Arsenal out of the Europa League two seasons ago, won't feature as he is injured. In his place, former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards, who also netted against the Gunners during his Vitória de Guimarães days, forming part of a fearsome front three.

Sporting CP predicted lineup vs Arsenal: (3-4-2-1): Israel; Reis, Diomande, Debast; Quenda, Morita, Hjulmand, Araújo; Trincão, Edwards, Gyökeres.

Sporting CP Player to Watch vs Arsenal

Viktor Gyökeres is Europe's most in-form striker. He has scored nine is six UEFA Nations League appearances for Sweden while, for Sporting, Gyökeres already has 24 goals to his name this season, to add to the 43 he accumulated last season, so will Arsenal become his latest victim?

Arsenal Team News

Benjamin White is sidelined following surgery, while Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are also injured, limiting Mikel Arteta's full-back options. Declan Rice, who's nursing a broken toe, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz were all unused substitutes on Saturday, so how many of that trio will return to the line-up? Martin Ødegaard's return has made such a difference, so it'll be interesting to see if he's able to start for a second time in four days. Of the 11 who started the last time Arsenal visited the José Alvalade in March 2022, only William Saliba, Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are set to start here too.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Sporting CP: (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Partey, Merino, Ødegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Havertz.

Arsenal Player to Watch vs Sporting CP

Bukayo Saka's sublime solo strike on Saturday was his fifth goal of the season, while he's also bagged five in the Champions League since the start of last season, so can he add to both tallies in Lisbon?

Sporting CP vs Arsenal Prediction

We are forecasting a home victory in the Portuguese capital. Sporting were simply scantling when Man City visited three weeks ago, while Arsenal's Champions League away record remains, at best, dismal, so we can only see this going one way: Sporting CP 2-1 Arsenal.

Sporting CP vs Arsenal FAQs - Champions League

How to watch Sporting CP vs Arsenal Champions League game on TV channel?

Sporting CP vs Arsenal Champions League game will be available on the following TV channels;

• UK: TNT Sports 1

• USA: Paramount+ & ViX

• Canada: DAZN Canada

How to watch Sporting CP vs Arsenal Champions League game on live streaming?

Sporting CP vs Arsenal Champions League game will be available on the following streaming services;

• UK: Discovery+

• USA: Paramount+ & ViX

• Canada: DAZN Canada

What is the date and kick-off time for Sporting CP vs Arsenal in the Champions League?

Sporting CP vs Arsenal takes place on Tuesday 26 November 2024, with kick off at 20:00 (GMT), 15:00 (EDT) & 12:00 (PST).

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