Fortune shines on Arsenal in win over Shakhtar but injury problems mount

If this is to be a successful season for Arsenal then these are the nights, Mikel Arteta conceded, when his players will have to battle fatigue as they prepare for bigger games coming imminently – such as Sunday’s visit from Liverpool.

For this Champions League matchday, the Arsenal manager would say that his players were “tired” after the long return many of them had from international duty around the globe and then the Bournemouth defeat on Saturday. Their opposition from Ukraine had their own logistical challenges making it from Kyiv – and the war in their country – to Poland and on to London, and yet by the end of the game Shakhtar Donetsk were still in it.

That said more about the chances Arsenal did not take, including a second half penalty miss from Leandro Trossard. Even so this felt like a night when Arsenal’s thoughts strayed towards Sunday and the visit of the Premier League leaders. Ben White, booked in the first half, was substituted by Arteta at half-time as a precaution. “We have,” said the Arsenal manager, “played enough with 10 men this season.”

Then in the second-half, the full-back on the opposite side, Riccardo Calafiori, came off after his knee buckled awkwardly under him. “Not great news,” said Arteta of his Italian defender’s injury – the extent of which is not yet clear.

Arteta is already weighing a crucial game on Sunday without Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber, all currently injured. Without them, and Saka in particular, that spark was absent and yet even so. This is a side that has lost just once all season in 12 games across three competitions. They have not yet conceded in the Champions League in three games and the giant 36-team table looks good for them.

In Uefa’s new format Swiss model super-league ladder, Arsenal climb to fourth after three games although what all this means is not yet clear. Aston Villa are top. Monaco are second and their fellow Ligue 1 club Brest are sixth. For Arteta’s players the big games are yet to come. This time they had many chances but it was an own goal from the goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk, unlucky to deflect a shot from Gabriel Martinelli in the wrong direction, that turned out to be the difference.

“The first [half] we were very dominant,” Arteta said, “and created four big, big chances. We should have put the game to bed with the amount of dominance and territory that we had. We looked tired [after half-time]. We lacked that sharpness with and without the ball to regain the ball in the right moments and areas and gave certain balls away that allow certain transitions. We had chances again and missed a big penalty.”

This was nevertheless, as Arteta acknowledged, an excellent performance from Shakhtar. Invigorated by the usual seasoning of talented Brazilians, they never gave up the cause. David Raya made a fine late save from one of those Brazilians, the substitute Pedrinho. The 20-year-old Brazilian winger Eguinaldo looked sharp in the first half and another substitute Kevin – a single moniker with no further adornments – also gave Shakhtar an edge.

Arsenal played the second-half with Thomas Partey at right-back, and the substitute Mikel Merino in his place in midfield. How will the injuries play out this week? “Believe me,” Arteta said, “come Sunday we’ll be flying.”

“I was expecting a bit of a drop off,” Arteta said. “And the fact that we put so much in the first half and didn’t get the distance in terms of the scoreline – I think we paid a bit for that. Then we made life more difficult because we started to give the ball away in not the right areas and then it was more open. That didn’t help. But we have now four days [to prepare for Liverpool].”

There was a long time when Arsenal did not qualify for the Champions League – let alone find a midweek home win and clean sheet in the competition a little underwhelming. This has been a good start in a new format that is more difficult to read than the traditional home and away group stages of the past. In the old money, seven points at this stage would have been one win away from knockout stage qualification.

Arteta had no doubt his players would now be ready for the weekend’s biggest game. “We’ll review [this game], have a day off, then two days to prepare for the [Liverpool] game,” he said. “Sunday is far [away] and we are more than comfortable that we’ll be in the right place.”

Shakhtar had come on coach from their new base in Kyiv to Lviv on Friday and then from there, on Sunday, over the Polish border to Rzeszow and on by plane to London. Shakhtar did not start badly for a team for whom war has very much changed the itinerary but Arsenal soon took control of the first half.

There were opportunities for Arteta’s side to score until eventually Martinelli’s right foot shot came back off the post, struck Riznyk and rolled back into the Shakhtar goal. There were some good players among the Shakhtar side. The centre-half and captain Mykola Matviyenko is another – a veteran of Shakhtar at 28 he somehow managed to retrieve a cross that Kai Havertz needed only to get a forehead on to turn over the line.

Arsenal were dominant by the end of the half. Gabriel Jesus on the right side, in the Saka role, might have scored when Havertz steered a ball into his path on 44 minutes. Yet Shakhtar hung in there. It did not help that Trossard missed that penalty on 77 minutes.

A handball from Valeriy Bondar, one of the Shakhtar centre-halves, was spotted by VAR. Trossard had been taking corners with his left-foot, the weaker of two very good feet, and he struck the penalty with his stronger right. It was straight down the middle and saved by Riznyk with his legs.

10:37 PM BST

Arteta reacts

10:26 PM BST

Arteta provides update on Calafiori

10:19 PM BST

Champions League table

1. Aston Villa - 9 pts

2. AS Monaco - 7 pts

3. Sporting CP - 7 pts

4. Arsenal - 7 pts

5. Borussia Dortmund - 6 pts

6. Brest - 6 pts

7. Benfica - 6 pts

8. Bayer Leverkusen - 6 pts

10:14 PM BST

Martinelli reacts

09:59 PM BST

‘Arsenal lacked midfield control’

If Arteta wanted to see how the team looked with Partey at right-back ahead of the Liverpool game, then I don’t think he will be particularly happy.

Arsenal have lacked midfield control in this second half, without Partey in the centre of the pitch. A better team than Shakhtar would have caused more problems for Arteta’s defence.

09:54 PM BST

FULL TIME: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

All over at the Emirates and the best thing you can say is that it is job done. A very ugly display and a big improvement will be needed against Liverpool on Sunday.

09:53 PM BST

90+5mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Good hold up play by Havertz. Henrique slides in and misses the attacker but it was reckless and deservedly receives a yellow card.

09:51 PM BST

90+4mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Free header for Marlon but he doesn’t make a clean connection. Raya is forced off his line to meet the ball and stop Traore from getting there. Arsenal are wobbling here.

09:49 PM BST

90+3mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Arsenal closing in on three points and a clean sheet but they invite Pedrinho to shoot from distance and he forces Raya to make an important save.

09:47 PM BST

90mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Six minutes of added time.

09:44 PM BST

87mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Shakhtar sub:

OFF Bondarenko
ON Marlon

Arsenal sub:

OFF Trossard
ON Jorginho

09:41 PM BST

83mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Yellow card for Martinelli after catching Konoplya in the face.

09:40 PM BST

82mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Shakhtar sub:

OFF Eguinaldo
ON Traore

09:38 PM BST

‘A rotten penalty’

It’s a rotten penalty by Trossard. I must admit I’m surprised he was the man to take it. Havertz is usually very composed from the spot, and he’s the top scorer this season.

09:37 PM BST

79mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Arsenal’s profligacy has left them vulnerable and Shakhtar twice have shots blocked. They think they can nick something here.

09:34 PM BST

77mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Trossard to take... and it is saved. He went down the middle and Riznyk blocks with his leg.

It’s a poor penalty and symptomatic of their performance.

09:32 PM BST

75mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

VAR check for a potential handball. Merino crossed the ball into the box and replays show it strikes Bondar’s arm.

Penalty is given.

09:31 PM BST

74mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

If you were being kind to Arsenal about their performance, you’d say they haven’t had to get out of second gear. But this hasn’t been a display to inspire confidence

09:29 PM BST

‘Another injury problem for Arteta to deal with’

As feared, Calafiori has gone down again. He’s clearly not able to carry on. Another injury problem for Arteta to deal with.

It is interesting that Myles Lewis-Skelly has come on at left-back ahead of Oleksandr Zinchenko. It is perhaps because Zinchenko hasn’t had any minutes since August (injury), but also might be a sign the pecking order is evolving...

09:28 PM BST

72mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Arsenal sub:

OFF Calafiori
ON Lewis-Skelly

09:27 PM BST

70mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Calafiori can’t continue and he goes straight down the line. Arsenal don’t make the sub in time and it means they are down to 10 men at the moment.

09:25 PM BST

68mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Arsenal sub:

OFF Jesus
ON Sterling

23 games without a goal now for Jesus. Calafiori looks OK to continue for now.

09:23 PM BST

66mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Calafiori is down and worryingly for Arsenal is holding his right knee. Another injury is the last thing Arteta needs.

09:20 PM BST

63mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Shakhtar subs:

OFF Sikan, Zubkov
ON Kevin, Pedrinho

09:17 PM BST

60mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

30 minutes to go and this hasn’t been the straight forward win many expected for Arsenal tonight. And the home fans are starting to get nervous and restless.

09:14 PM BST

57mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Casual play by Trossard to give the ball away on the edge of his box to Eguinaldo. But Gabriel bails him out with a block and the ball deflects into Raya’s arms.

09:12 PM BST

55mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Trossard now with an effort as he drives forward and shoots wide.

09:11 PM BST

53mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Give and go between Jesus and Havertz. The German fires the ball across and it travels all the way to Martinelli, who takes it first time but shoots straight at Riznyk.

09:09 PM BST

51mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Whilst it is still 1-0, Shakhtar are still in the game. Arsenal need to up the intensity and focus to finish off their opponent. Despite the first goal, it has been very passive from the home team at times.

09:07 PM BST

‘Arteta planning ahead for Sunday’s match against Liverpool?’

Now then. This is an interesting substitution by Arsenal. Ben White off, Mikel Merino on. Why so interesting, you ask? Because it means Thomas Partey has moved to right-back.

Could that be Mikel Arteta planning ahead for Sunday’s match against Liverpool? He will be without the suspended William Saliba, and Jurrien Timber is an injury doubt... it’s possible that Ben White is moved to centre-back and Partey plays at right-back.

09:04 PM BST

47mins: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Great dummy to beat his man by Calafiori and he drives forward before laying the ball off to Martinelli. The Brazilian comes inside and whips in a cross that Trossard meets with his head but he directs the ball wide of the post.

09:02 PM BST

SECOND HALF: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Half-time change for Arsenal. White is off and replaced by Merino.

Partey slots in at right back.

08:47 PM BST

HALF TIME: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Arsenal go in at the break with the lead but they should arguably be more ahead.

08:46 PM BST

45min: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

One minute added on.

08:45 PM BST

43min: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Jesus denied his first goal since January and he should have scored. He wins the ball back, Trossard plays it to Havertz, who lays it off to Jesus but he can’t find the corner and Riznyk saves with his feet.

The finish of a striker short on confidence.

08:41 PM BST

39min: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Deep cross to the back post by Martinelli. Jesus does well to hook the ball back and Havertz has a free header to score but Matviyenko stretches out and clears the danger impressively.

08:40 PM BST

37min: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Would love to see Calafiori’s touch and heat map after this match because he has been everywhere. So much license to roam and pick up interesting positions.

08:35 PM BST

‘Martinelli earned his luck’

Gabriel Martinelli has looked sharp in recent weeks, scoring two goals in his previous four appearances, and you could argue he earned his luck there. It’s not his goal, sadly for the Brazilian, but it was his directness that made the difference.

08:35 PM BST

33min: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0

Arsenal stamping their authority on the match. But Ben White picks up a yellow card for pulling back Eguinaldo.

08:31 PM BST

29min: Arsenal 1 Shakhtar 0 GOAL

Arsenal lead! Not pretty but they won’t care. Rice finds Martinelli down the left. He comes inside and shoots at goal. The ball hits the post via a deflection and strikes Riznyk’s back before squirming into the back of the net.

That will go down as an own goal I think.

08:28 PM BST

27min: Arsenal 0 Shakhtar 0

I think we are seeing just how much Arsenal miss Odegaard and Saka tonight. The former can unlock defences and the latter gives that cutting edge. Onus is on Trossard and Jesus to step up.

08:25 PM BST

24min: Arsenal 0 Shakhtar 0

Calafiori is the latest Arsenal player to work the keeper but his right footed shot is saved by Riznyk.

Arsenal starting to regain control of the match again.

08:23 PM BST

22min: Arsenal 0 Shakhtar 0

Back to back chances for Arsenal. First Rice hits a shot from distance that goes harmlessly wide. Then Martinelli gets to the byline and cut the ball back to Trossard, who has raced to the near post but his flicked effort is also wide.

08:19 PM BST

18min: Arsenal 0 Shakhtar 0

Shakhtar starting to grow in belief here as Arsenal sit off them. Maybe the home team are trying to lull them into a false sense of security.

08:17 PM BST

15min: Arsenal 0 Shakhtar 0

Sloppy defending by Arsenal allows Shakhtar in sight of their goal and Gabriel is forced to block Eguinaldo’s shot for a corner.

08:15 PM BST

‘One for the football nerds’

One for the football nerds out there: Leandro Trossard is taking corners with his left foot tonight. Such is Arsenal’s commitment to inswinging deliveries that they now have players using their weaker foot. (Usually Bukayo Saka takes those corners but he’s out injured)

08:14 PM BST

11min: Arsenal 0 Shakhtar 0

Muted atmosphere at the Emirates. The crowd seem to be waiting for something to spark them into life.

08:10 PM BST

8min: Arsenal 0 Shakhtar 0

Shakhtar are trying to play out from the back but Arsenal’s press has been sharp and they are rushing them into errors.

08:08 PM BST

5min: Arsenal 0 Shakhtar 0

With no Saka available, Trossard is taking the corners from the left with his left-foot, which you would argue is his weaker side.

He clips the ball in delicately, the ball is half cleared and falls to the feet of Calafiori, who leans back and shoots over when he should have got the effort on target.

08:04 PM BST

‘Arsenal fans get banner wrong’

The Arsenal fans roll out a ‘VAMOS’ banner in honour of Mikel Arteta, although unfortunately someone unpacked it the wrong way around. Inverted VAMOS = SOMAV

08:03 PM BST

1min: Arsenal 0 Shakhtar 0

First corner to Arsenal in the opening point after a driving run from Martinelli.

Shakhtar clear the danger but are already being pinned back by Arsenal.

08:00 PM BST

KICK OFF: Arsenal vs Shakhtar

Shakhtar, all in black, get the match underway.

A reminder of the teams:

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Partey, Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, Havertz, Martinelli. 
Subs: Neto, Setford, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Merino, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, Robinson, Monlouis.

Shakhtar Donetsk: Riznyk, Konoplya, Bondar, Matviyenko, Pereira Pedrinho, Kryskiv, Zubkov, Bondarenko, Sudakov,
Eguinaldo, Sikan.
Subs: Fesyun, Traore, Franjic, Stepanenko, Shved, Azarovi, Augusto, Ghram, Marlon Gomes, Kevin, da Silva Pedrinho, Newerton.

07:52 PM BST

Behind enemy lines!

Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk is in attendance to watch his former club in action tonight.

In another lifetime, Mudryk could have been an Arsenal player had they agreed on a fee with Shakhtar.

07:49 PM BST

Shakhtar’s dangerman is...

...Georgiy Sudakov. In 11 appearances this season, he has scored seven goals and provided two assists.

Andriy Shevchenko just said on Amazon: “Sudakov has very good skills. He’s an important player and big potential to become even better. He can cover different positions on the pitch.”

07:42 PM BST

WATCH: The last time Shakhtar came to the Emirates

07:33 PM BST

Six academy players on Arsenal’s bench

Zane Monlouis receives his first senior call-up and is joined by Tommy Setford, Josh Robinson, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri on the bench.

A sign of Arteta’s confidence in them but also the injury issues within the squad.

07:21 PM BST

Saka injury update

Arteta has just been speaking on Amazon Prime and said: “at the moment I am not very hopeful [of Saka being fit to face Liverpool].”

With consecutive away matches against Newcastle, Inter Milan and Chelsea coming up, Arsenal will be desperate to get him fit for those games.

07:08 PM BST

Arteta on bouncing back

06:55 PM BST

Arsenal team news explained

Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus come into the team beaten by Bournemouth in place of Mikel Merino and Raheem Sterling.

Kai Havertz starts up front and is aiming to become the first player ever to score in eight consecutive games at the Emirates.

Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber are absent due to injury.

06:47 PM BST

Shakhtar starting XI

06:47 PM BST

Arsenal starting XI

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Rice, Jesus, Martinelli, Trossard, Havertz.
Subs: Neto, Setford, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Monlouis, Robinson, Lewis-Skelly, Jorginho, Merino, Nwaneri, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji.

06:35 PM BST

Arsenal aim to keep their heads in Europe

Hello and welcome to coverage from the Champions League as Arsenal host Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates.

The Premier League side were shocked by Saturday as they slipped to 2-0 defeat by Bournemouth. William Saliba became the third Arsenal player to be sent off this season and leading to questions about their discipline.

“We cannot continue to play with 10 men, easier to say it then to get it done in the specific moment,” Arteta told reporters on Monday.

“Reacting (after) we had a defeat (but under) very specific conditions. Let’s move on, take that pain we have and use it tomorrow night.

“We need to eradicate the issue (of red cards), it’s clear. The reasons, how - it doesn’t matter. We have to focus.”

Shakhtar are winless in their Champions League campaign after a goalless draw at Bologna and a 3-0 loss to Atalanta. The team have had to adjust to playing on the road, having moved out of Donetsk a decade ago after pro-Russian separatists seized large areas of the region.

Early in September, two days before they were scheduled to play Kryvbas in the domestic league, their hotel was hit by a Russian missile.

The team left the capital on Friday, stopping for a day to train in Lviv in the west of the country before setting off around midday on Sunday for Rzeszow, from where they flew to London.

“This is a fact,” said Pushych. “We face these, I wouldn’t call them problems. In general, it is unbelievable how we have to travel for these away matches.

“In fact, I have to say that we play all matches away from home, let’s start with that, unfortunately. Yes, we drove for 13 hours, it is a very difficult move that takes a lot of time and energy.

“At the same time, we are a very motivated team and we are mentally ready. So, despite all these circumstances, we did not come here to complain. This is simply a fact that, unfortunately, we constantly face.”