Arsenal v Rapid Vienna: Europa League predictions, free tips and TV details

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Arsenal v Rapid Vienna in the Europa League on Thursday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 8pm Thursday

Best bet

Arsenal to win & over 2.5 goals
1pt 20-23 BoyleSports

Team news

Arsenal
David Luiz continues to recover from a head injury and Thomas Partey remains sidelined. Gabriel Martinelli and Sead Kolasinac are also absentees. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is unlikely to feature.

Rapid Vienna
Tamas Szanto is ineligible and Dejan Petrovic and Dejan Ljubicic have been ruled out through injury.

Match preview

For the first time in nine months fans will be welcomed into a Premier League ground as Arsenal play host to Austrian outfit Rapid Vienna - and fortunately for the Gunners’ faithful their Emirates return is marked by a Europa League fixture rather than a domestic match.

Arsenal have failed to fire in the Premier League this season and Sunday’s 2-1 defeat against Wolves was a third straight league loss for the Gunners on their own patch.

With only four wins to show from their opening ten league assignments, the pressure is being ramped up on rookie boss Mikel Arteta and the crowd will be no advantage to him or his players if the poor performances and results continue.

Luckily for the Spaniard, some of Arsenal’s finest moments this season have come in European competition and a visit from Rapid Vienna provides them with the perfect opportunity to restore some confidence.

Arsenal have all but secured top spot in Group B after claiming maximum points from their first four fixtures, scoring 12 goals and conceding only two.

The Gunners came from behind to win 2-1 in Vienna in October and have since netted at least three goals in accounting for Molde twice and Dundalk.

With a trip to their in-form north London rivals Tottenham on the horizon on Sunday, Arteta may choose to protect some of his most important assets, but a defeat would be damaging too.

Talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has sat out Arsenal’s last two Europa League wins and is likely to miss out again, but there should still be enough quality in the Gunners’ line-up to get the better of a leaky Rapid.

Impressive youngsters Eddie Nketiah, Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson are all likely starters, as is Nicolas Pepe, who is suspended for their next two Premier League matches.

With Alexandre Lacazette also likely to play a part, Arsenal have the necessary firepower to overcome the challenge of the Austrian visitors, who have shipped seven goals in their four Europa League ties.

Despite winning on both occasions, Dietmar Kuhbauer’s men conceded four goals in two meetings with Dundalk and those defensive frailties are set to be punished by a considerably stronger Arsenal side.

Rapid have kept only two clean sheets in 16 competitive matches this season and they are happy to trust in their attacking beliefs, which may be risky strategy against Arsenal.

Rapid pack a punch of their own in attack and with a positive result needed in their pursuit of qualification, a somewhat rare entertaining Arsenal win is where the value lies.

Key stat

Only two of Arsenal's last 15 Europa League matches have featured three or fewer goals.

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