Arsenal vs FK Qarabag Predictions

Arsenal come into this final Europa League group stage match cruising along in comfort. Their 3-0 win over Vorskla on matchday 5 saw them secure the top spot in Group E, with them 3 points ahead of Sporting Lisbon and holding a better head to head record against the Portugese outfit.

This will undoubtedly lead to a substantial amount of rotation from Unai Emery as he gears up for a busy December of domestic football. Nacho Monreal and Laurent Koscielny could both be involved as they look to rebuild match fitness, but apart from that it’s expected to be a host of Gunners youngsters taking the reins at the Emirates.

Of course, Emery will be keen to extend their excellent unbeaten run here. Arsenal’s 1-0 win against Huddersfield at the weekend made it 21 competitive matches without defeat, although their draws against Manchester United, Wolves, Sporting, and Crystal Palace have brought some minor concerns to the attention of the audience.

These concerns focus almost solely around the defensive side of the game. The hosts have conceded in 16 of their 23 competitive games this season, although they have scored in 21 of them as well and have netted a massive 51 goals in total.

Qarabag, just like Arsenal, have nothing to play for in this match. They are already out of the running for the qualification spots and sit bottom of the group, although against such illustrious opponents you can be sure that they’ll be going all out for a result on Thursday.

Considering the Azerbaijan outfit have conceded 12 goals in their 5 Europa League group matches, including shipping 6 at home to Sporting Lisbon last time out, we’re expecting this one to be fairly open. Qarabag will want to restore some pride and give their travelling fans something to cheer about, while the host of Arsenal youngsters will be desperate to make a name for themselves as they push for regular first team action.

The outcome is, hopefully, a high scoring affair on Thursday. Arsenal have seen at least 4 goals scored on 10 occasions this season, and Qarabag have in 4 of their last 5 outings in all competitions. Both teams will be out to entertain their fans, so backing Over 3.5 Goals along with a 4-1 win for the hosts looks a good shout to us.