Bodo/Glimt vs Arsenal - LIVE!

Arsenal’s fine start to the season continued as Bukayo Saka hit the only goal of the game to see off Bodo/Glimt and put the Gunners in charge of their Europa League group. Mikel Arteta’s sit top of the Premier League and made it 11 wins from 12 in all competitions with a 1-0 victory in Norway.

The Spaniard opted for a strong line-up, naming seven full internationals with the prospect of winning the group to bypass the round of 32 stage leading to the likes of Saka, William Saliba and Ben White starting the game.

Bodo had won their last 14 home matches in European competition and Jose Mourinho’s Roma were famously humbled 6-1 at the 8,300-capacity Aspmyra Stadium last year. But, inside the Arctic Circle and with swirling rain, Arsenal put on a professional display to maintain their winning start to Group A and move a step closer to securing top spot.

Bodo/Glimt vs Arsenal highlights

• GOAL! Saka puts Gunners in front with fortunate finish

• Arsenal team news: Odegaard starts in strong lineup

FK Bodø / Glimt 0 - 1 Arsenal FC

Match analysis

20:39 , Matt Verri

On the home front, it is a seemingly irrepressible Norwegian force that is dampening Arsenal expectations of Premier League glory even as they sit atop the table a quarter of the way through the campaign.

A trip to the Scandinavian country, however, proved little issue for Mikel Arteta’s side as they moved within touching distance of the Europa League knockout stage with a 1-0 victory over Bodo/Glimt.

Twenty-odd miles north of the Arctic Circle, on an artificial pitch, against a home team on a magnificent 14-game winning streak at home in Europe, best known among English fans for inflicting upon Jose Mourinho the heaviest defeat of his career, this had the makings of a tough evening’s work.

In the end, though, despite what was eventually an impressive display from the home side, it never quite turned into the icy examination Arsenal must have been anticipating when they left London yesterday afternoon.

Read Malik Ouzia’s full analysis here

Arsenal ratings

19:56 , Matt Verri

Bukayo Saka 7

Arsenal’s most threatening attacker, for all he was a tad fortunate with his goal. Wisely, withdrawn with half-an-hour to play.

Fabio Vieira 5

A quiet night for the Portuguese, who struggled for space in midfield role before being switched out wide.

Read our ratings in full here

FT: Bodo/Glimt 0-1 Arsenal

19:43 , Matt Verri

19:36 , Matt Verri

90+3 mins: Corner Bodo... and the goalkeeper is up!

Turner punches it away, gets fouled in the process and that should be that.

19:35 , Matt Verri

90+2 mins: Turner into the book for some late timewasting.

Holding has to step out very swiftly to stop a through ball cutting Arsenal open, he’s had a solid game at the back.

19:32 , Matt Verri

90 mins: Bodo still playing it calmly around at the back - surely the time has come for something a bit more direct.

Three minutes added on.

19:30 , Matt Verri

87 mins: Marquinhos with space on the counter, passes it straight out of play. Not what his side need.

Collision then leaves the Brazilian down on the pitch in a fair bit of pain. Eventually back on his feet.

19:26 , Matt Verri

84 mins: Saliba shanks a clearance out for a corner, bit of a danger there of looping it over Turner for an own goal. Lokonga off for Arsenal, Partey on.

Berg wins the corner in, doesn’t beat the first man. He gets a second go, Partey there to claim and then clear.

19:25 , Matt Verri

82 mins: Bodo want a penalty, did the ball bounce up off Lokonga’s arm? Referee thinks not.

This is still a bit nervy for Arsenal, despite how comfortable they look on the ball. Arteta would obviously love a second goal.

19:22 , Matt Verri

79 mins: Marquinhos and Tomiyasu both left in a heap on the right, Bodo know they have to force the pace now and win the ball back.

Arsenal just looking to see it out as you’d expect, knocking it aroun in midfield and at the back.

19:18 , Matt Verri

76 mins: Vetlesen topples to the floor and the whistle follows... for an Arsenal free-kick. That’s not what he was expecting.

Think the ball bobbled up onto his arm as he fell over. Holding gives him a ‘sympathetic’ pat on the back.

19:14 , Matt Verri

72 mins: Holding and Tierney nearly caught out, Vetlesen with a great run in behind but the pass has too much on it.

Just as well for the Gunners too - he was clean through otherwise.

19:12 , Matt Verri

70 mins: Two more changes for Arsenal. Odegaard and White off, Tomiyasu and Marquinhos the two on.

Fairly quiet return to Norway from Odegaard, not particularly influential tonight.

19:09 , Matt Verri

67 mins: Vetlesen drags Nketiah back as the striker drives forward, doesn’t even bother to try and complain about the yellow card that follows.

Odegaard and Martinelli with a clever routine to take it short, but the cross in is then poor.

19:06 , Matt Verri

64 mins: Arsenal are playing a relatively high line and Bodo fancy their chances of exploiting it. Holding has been caught out on a couple of occasions.

The Gunners have a chance to break themselves, Odegaard can’t quite slide Nketiah through though.

19:04 , Matt Verri

61 mins: Vieira has actually stayed on, he was just moving out to the right wing.

Nelson the man to make way, unable to have any sort of impact tonight. Still a lot of time left in this match - testing moments coming up for Arsenal.

Malik Ouzia at the Aspmyra Stadion

19:03 , Matt Verri

For probably the first time in the match, you sense that the home crowd properly believe. They’ve had a couple of real chances in the last five minutes and Mikel Arteta, perhaps sensing his side need a bit more control, has turned to his bench.

19:01 , Matt Verri

58 mins: And that’s an even bigger chance, Arsenal cut open and Bodo have to score.

Ball lifted over the top, chested down for Espejord but he curls the strike well over the bar. Huge miss.

Arteta has seen enough - Xhaka and Martinelli on for Vieira and Saka.

18:59 , Matt Verri

56 mins: As close as Bodo have come!

Solbakken allowed to bring the ball forward, all the way into the box and he cuts onto his left foot. Hammers a strike at goal, just rises over the bar.

18:55 , Matt Verri

53 mins: Hosts starting to fancy this a bit more, Pellegrino with all sorts of space on the left.

This time gets the shot on target, comfortable enough save for Turner though and it’s then booted away. Arsenal need to wake up a bit.

18:54 , Matt Verri

51 mins: Bodo going a bit more direct since the break, clearly something that’s been discussed.

Vieira tries to do likewise for Arsenal, playing a ball in behind for Nketiah but there’s not enough curl on it.

18:50 , Matt Verri

48 mins: Espejord tries to bundle his way through the Arsenal defence, almost does so too but the door is eventually slammed shut.

Nelson with good work on the left to keep possession, the Gunners are back to knocking the ball around with ease.

Back underway!

18:48 , Matt Verri

Up and running again - Arsenal will be looking for more of the same control.

Gunners in control

18:41 , Matt Verri

More possession, more shots, more goals.

Arsenal have strolled around the pitch and it’s been enough for them to lead. Bodo have had one chance - a massive one too that they should have taken.

Some of the best excitement we’ve had...

18:36 , Matt Verri

HT: Bodo/Glimt 0-1 Arsenal

18:33 , Matt Verri

And that is half-time.

Arsenal in front through Saka’s goal, he’s been the best player on the pitch by far.

18:32 , Matt Verri

45 mins: Just the one minute added on.

It’s not been particularly thrilling, it’s fair to say. Arsenal in charge without doing too much.

18:30 , Matt Verri

43 mins: Wembangomo might be the most right-footed left-back to have ever played football.

Not a huge amount of width coming on that side, he cuts inside every time. Meanwhile Nelson drifts past his man and goes down appealing for a very soft free-kick. Not getting that.

18:27 , Matt Verri

41 mins: Saka wins a corner which he takes himself, headed behind for another one.

Takes this on short, Nelson robbed on the edge of the box. Bodo unable to counter, Arsenal quickly get bodies back.

18:26 , Matt Verri

39 mins: Bodo happy to just keep the ball at the back, not much ambition to move up the pitch.

Eventually they do, over-playing a bit on the edge of the box. Ball scooped over Saliba, Turner off his line to claim.

18:22 , Matt Verri

36 mins: Tierney is moving into midfield when Arsenal have the ball, almost playing alongside Lokonga.

He plays it out wide to Nelson, who cuts inside and fires a cross into the box but there’s far too much on it.

18:19 , Matt Verri

33 mins: Corner for Arsenal, who are attacking without any real pace but they’re in pretty comfortable control of things.

Comes out to Saka on the edge of the box, plays it to Nketiah rather than going for goal. Saliba lobs it into the box, cleared away.

18:17 , Matt Verri

31 mins: Yellow card for Saka, who sticks a foot out to stop Bodo from countering. Pellegrino nearly joins him for his complaints about the challenge.

Referee was over so quickly to tell the Bodo man to be quiet that it looked like he was squaring up to him. We’ll assume not.

18:16 , Matt Verri

29 mins: Massive chance for the hosts!

Goalkeeper lumps the ball forward, it’s flicked on as Holding loses the battle in the air and Pellegrino is clean through on goal.

Tries to curl it into the far corner, but there’s no curl. Miles wide.

Malik Ouzia at the Aspmyra Stadion

18:14 , Matt Verri

It was a bit of a surprise to see Bukayo Saka’s name on the team sheet but so far the risk is paying off for Mikel Arteta.

He’s been Arsenal’s most threatening player, even if his goal was a touch fortunate.

18:13 , Matt Verri

26 mins: And he very nearly has a second!

Patient build-up after Nketiah initially broke into space on the left. Worked to the opposite flank, Saka with time but he slices the shot high and wide.

GOAL! Bodo/Glimt 0-1 Arsenal | Bukayo Saka 24'

18:11 , Matt Verri

Arsenal take the lead!

Saka has looked the most likely by a margin. Drifts inside, plays a one-two with Lokonga and his shot is blocked, bounces back off him and rolls into the bottom corner.

18:08 , Matt Verri

22 mins: Turner has to fly off his line to boot the ball away, as Arsenal get opened up a bit through the middle.

Bodo enjoying their best spell of the match here, Gunners not entirely convincing in defence.

18:07 , Matt Verri

21 mins: Better from the hosts, cross whipped into the box and Saliba volleys it away.

That’s sloppy though and the Gunners can break, Odegaard driving forward. Tries to play in Nketiah, gets it all wrong and there are plenty of ironic jeers.

Welcome home.

18:04 , Matt Verri

18 mins: Odegaard fine to continue, after that knock to his left ankle.

Bodo look decent on the ball but it hasn’t been the aggressive start from them we might have expected on home soil.

Malik Ouzia at the Aspmyra Stadion

18:03 , Matt Verri

Any thought that Martin Odegaard might get a decent reception in his homeland has gone out of the window.

There was no particular ovation when his name was read out before kick-off and now he’s being booed and jeered as he lies injured on the deck, forcing a stoppage.

18:01 , Matt Verri

15 mins: Sloppy passes from the Gunners on more than one occasion as they look to move forward, first Saka and then Tierney.

Arsenal are dominating possession but yet to do too much with it.

17:58 , Matt Verri

12 mins: Saltnes is forced off early with an injury, that’s something he has been battling in the build-up to the match.

Gronbaek on in his place - early blow for the hosts.

17:57 , Matt Verri

10 mins: Saliba drills a pass out wide to Saka, who brings it down and cuts inside.

Finds Odegaard, he plays the ball back to Lokonga and his shot is sliced wide of the near post. Didn’t catch that at all.

Malik Ouzia at the Aspmyra Stadion

17:54 , Matt Verri

Confident start from the home team. Conditions right now are probably the best they’ve been since we landed here yesterday afternoon.

17:53 , Matt Verri

7 mins: Saka and White combine nicely on the right, the full-back gets to the backline but he can’t keep his scooped cross in play.

All of Arsenal’s threat so far coming down that side - Saka has started really well.

17:50 , Matt Verri

4 mins: That’s not convincing at all from Arsenal at the back.

Pellegrino gets in behind White, plays the ball in and Holding and Tierney both can’t clear. Bobbles behind for a corner. Taken short, fired into the box and this time the Gunners do hack it away.

17:49 , Matt Verri

2 mins: Bodo haven’t had a touch in the opening stages, Arsenal knocking the ball around comfortably. Surface doesn’t look to be a problem for them.

Saka gets in behind down the right, lifts the ball over the goalkeeper and it runs across the face of goal, Nketiah can’t turn it in! Whistle goals, free-kick to the hosts. Nketiah a bit keen to try and get there.

KICK-OFF!

17:46 , Matt Verri

Up and running in Norway!

BT Sport graphic showing this as a back three for Arsenal... it is definitely not.

Malik Ouzia at the Aspmyra Stadion

17:44 , Matt Verri

Like Sydney Harbour Bridge on New Year’s Eve in here. Fireworks and pyro to the max and we’re sat in a stand that appears to be made mainly out of wood...

Here we go!

17:41 , Matt Verri

Players are out onto the pitch in Norway - safe to say it’s not a particularly warm evening.

Bit of an added incentive for both sides to press high up the pitch and stay warm.

It’s quite the scene too...

17:35 , Matt Verri

Arteta’s pre-match thoughts

17:29 , Matt Verri

Mikel Arteta wants his side to avoid any complacency tonight, as they look to keep their winning run going.

“Keep winning,” was Arteta’s answer when asked pre-match how his side can keep confidence high.

“It’s the medicine for everything. Keep being humble and willing to get better every day.”

On Odegaard starting back in Norway, Arteta added: “It’s a special game for him. It’s always special to get back and home and hopefully he can produce what we know he can in the game.”

Arsenal plan camp during World Cup

17:24 , Matt Verri

Arsenal are looking at flying to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp in December as they finalise plans for their players not featuring at the World Cup this winter.

Mikel Arteta’s side have made a brilliant start to the season and sit top of the Premier League after nine games.

Arsenal want to build on their strong start and are finalising plans for the mid-season break during the World Cup, which is taking place in Qatar in November and December.

The club has been looking at possible destinations for a warm-weather training camp and Dubai has emerged as the preferred option.

Read the full story on that

Vieira to thrive?

17:17 , Matt Verri

Exciting midfield for the Gunners, with Vieira and Odegaard starting alongside Lokonga.

Vieira was in fine form a week ago, and despite having limited first-team opportunities since arriving in the summer, his quality is already clear to see.

Chance for him to impress again tonight.

Gunners in the building!

17:10 , Matt Verri

Arsenal favourites to go all the way

17:02 , Matt Verri

No surprise to see Arsenal as favourites for this season’s Europa League, after their flying start to the season both domestically and in Europe.

That may well change when sides from the Champions League drop down into the knockout stages, but for now it’s the Gunners and Manchester United who are fancied to go all the way.

Arsenal: 7/2

Man Utd: 6/1

Roma: 14/1

Betis: 17/1

Real Sociedad: 18/1

Odds via Betfair.

Arteta on playing surface

16:53 , Matt Verri

Mikel Arteta downplayed the risk to his side of tonight’s match being played on an artificial surface, insisting it was not something he was thinking about too much.

“We don’t know,” Arteta responded when asked if Bodo had an unfair advantage.

“A player can get injured in an artificial pitch, he can get injured in a training session. Obviously, we’ve done what we’ve tried to do to protect the players as much as we can.

“At the end of the day, we’re going to have 11 players on that pitch.”

Formidable home record

16:45 , Matt Verri

Bodo have won their last 14 European home games in a row, so this won’t necessarily be an absolute cruise for the Gunners.

With those who finish second in the group having to play an extra round of knockout matches after Christmas, Arteta is quite clearly keen to get top spot wrapped up as soon as possible.

Welcome to the Arctic Circle

16:39 , Matt Verri

Bodo/Glimt team news

16:34 , Matt Verri

Bodo/Glimt XI: Haikin, Sampsted, Hoibraten, Lode, Wembangomo, Vetlesen, Berg, Saltnes, Solbakken, Espejord, Pellegrino

Subs: Lund, Larsen, Amundsen, Gronbaek, Konradsen, Moe, Hagen, Sorli, Zugelj, Mvuka, Salvesen

Gunners go strong

16:29 , Matt Verri

Arteta named a stronger side than was perhaps expected. White, Saliba and Saka all start for the Gunners, as does Odegaard on his return to Norway.

Nketiah leads the line in the absence of Jesus, while Nelson gets his chance in the front three. Lokonga starts as the deepest of the three midfielders, with Partey on the bench.

Arsenal team news

16:23 , Matt Verri

Arsenal XI: Turner; White, Holding, Saliba, Tierney; Lokonga, Vieira, Odegaard; Saka, Nketiah, Nelson.

Subs: Ramsdale, Cedric, Tomiyasu, Gabriel, Partey, Xhaka, Smith, Ibrahim, Marquinhos, Martinelli, Edwards, Hein.

Arteta responds to Aubameyang barbs

16:14 , Matt Verri

Mikel Arteta says the current Arsenal dressing room is the best he has ever been involved in, following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s criticism of his man-management of star players.

Now at Chelsea, a video emerged on social media last week in which Aubameyang claimed Arteta struggled to handle big players and personalities within his squad, suggesting that he worked better with young players willing to fall in line.

Arteta refused to be drawn on Aubameyang’s allegations, saying only that “people are free to discuss what they want”, but when asked to describe the state of the dressing room following his departure, called it “phenomenal”.

“I’ve never been in a better dressing room,” added the Spaniard.

Read his full comments here

More of the same for Arsenal?

16:07 , Matt Verri

It was a cruise in north London a week ago for Arsenal against Bodo/Glimt, with the Gunners two-goals up at the break before Fabio Vieira capped the win late on after great work from Gabriel Jesus.

Here’s how they moved to the top of Group A.

Odegaard returns to Norway

15:57 , Matt Verri

When Martin Odegaard left his native Norway as a 16-year-old to sign for Real Madrid, it was with the world at his feet and a sense of inevitability about his rise to the very top of the game.

Rarely, if ever, had such a broad audience been so aware of such a young talent at such an early stage, a genuine ‘wonderkid’ who had made his first-team debut for Stromsgodset at 13, had his pick of Europe’s elite clubs as a schoolboy, and whose path to stardom had been ratified by Football Manager enthusiasts around the world.

Odegaard arrived at the Bernabeu burdened by a set of expectations that, frankly, would have been impossible to fulfil, but there were times during his stay in Madrid where it did not look as if he would even get close.

Now, though, Odegaard returns to Norway for tonight’s Europa League meeting with Bodo/Glimt as one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders.

Read Malik Ouzia’s full piece on Arsenal’s captain here!

Youthful look to Arsenal squad

15:49 , Matt Verri

Arsenal have included four of their most promising academy stars in the squad for tonight’s Europa League clash against Bodo/Glimt.

Catalin Cirjan, Khayon Edwards, Bradley Ibrahim and Under-21s captain Matt Smith have all travelled to Norway as the Gunners look to move a step closer to qualification to the knockout stages.

Prediction

15:41 , Matt Verri

The Gunners are full of confidence and a second-string side will be determined to make their mark in Norway.

Bodo will likely have their moments but another Arsenal win is certainly on the cards.

A 2-0 Arsenal win.

Arsenal team news

15:33 , Matt Verri

Gabriel Jesus has not travelled to Norway, after the Brazilian was forced off late in Sunday crucial victory over Liverpool.

“We thought that with everything he has been through in the last few weeks we thought it was better that he was staying there,” Mikel Arteta explained.

The Gunners will also be without Oleksandr Zinchenko, meaning Kieran Tierney is likely to start at left-back, having been left out of the XI against Liverpool in favour of Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Arteta is expected to heavily rotate his side and that should mean opportunities for the likes of Matt Turner in goal, Rob Holding, Cedric Soares, Marquinhos and Eddie Nketiah.

Predicted Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Turner; Cedric, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Vieira, Lokonga, Odegaard, Marquinhos, Nketiah, Martinelli

How to watch Bodo/Glimt vs Arsenal

15:24 , Matt Verri

TV channel: The match will be televised on BT Sport 2, with coverage starting at 5.15pm.

Live stream: BT Sport subscribers will be able to watch the match online via the BT Sport website or app.

Live blog: You can follow all the action right here, with Malik Ouzia providing expert analysis from Norway.

Good afternoon!

15:15 , Matt Verri

Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Bodo/Glimt vs Arsenal!

The Gunners are in Norway looking to continue their flying start to the season, even if it is likely to be a heavily-rotated side named by Mikel Arteta.

We’ll have all the latest build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes at 5:45pm BST from the Aspmyra Stadion.