Sporting vs Arsenal, Europa League: Danny Welbeck's late goal extends Gunners' winning run

Re-live the action from the Estádio José Alvalade

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Danny Welbeck scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal beat Europa League rivals Sporting Lisbon to extend their winning streak to 11 games.

After a largely forgettable opening half, the Gunners gradually improved after the interval and took control of Group E with a 1-0 victory at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

Welbeck had already seen a header chalked off for a foul but he was on hand to steer home in the 77th minute to settle the contest in favour of Unai Emery's side.

Granit Xhaka started in the unfamiliar role of left-back as Emery made six changes for the game in Portugal, with Welbeck one of those drafted in

The win means a draw in the return fixture at the Emirates Stadium in a fortnight could be enough to seal Arsenal's progression into the last-32 with two games remaining.

The draw leaves both sides on seven points in Group E, with the return fixture at the Emirates Stadium in a fortnight now seemingly pivotal as to who will become favourites to progress in first place.

Re-live the action below:

When is it?

Sporting vs Arsenal kicks off at 17:55 BST

Where to watch?

BT Sport will be showing live coverage on BT Sport 2 and online for customers on the BT Sport app and website.

Odds

Sporting to win: 3/1

Arsenal to win: 5/6

Draw: 11/4

Prediction

Sporting 0-2 Arsenal

Key Points

• Full match report
• Player ratings

[25 October 2018 15:51 · Jack Watson]

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of Sporting vs Arsenal in a crunch match in the Europa League group stage, and it's not often you get to say that.

[25 October 2018 16:57 · Jack Watson]

Team news!

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[25 October 2018 16:59 · Jack Watson]

The teams in full

Arsenal: Leno; Lichtsteiner, Sokratis, Holding, Xhaka; Guendouzi, El Neny, Ramsey; Welbeck, Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan.

Sporting: Ribeiro; Ristovski, Coates, André Pinto, Acuña; Petrovic, Gudelj, Battaglia, Bruno Fernandes; Nani, Montero.

[25 October 2018 17:11 · Jack Sear]

A rest for Lacazette

So then, Unai Emery has decided to give star striker Alexandre Lacazette a rest for this one, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leading the line instead.

It looks as if Granit Xhaka will be used in an unfamiliar role at left-back, with both Nacho Monreal and Sead Kolasinac both still injured. The Swiss international was used there for part of the second half in the Gunners' 3-1 win over Leicester City on Monday.

Sokratis returns at centre-back and there are also starts for the likes of Matteo Guendouzi, Mohamed Elneny, Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck.

[25 October 2018 17:25 · Jack Sear]

Familiar faces

There'll be a few names in that Sporting XI that you may recognise.

Former Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates starts at centre-back. The Uruguay defender is now 28 and has been an excellent servant for the Portuguese side since his arrival in Lisbon at the start of last year.

Radosav Petrovic, once of Blackburn Rovers, starts in midfield, as does Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who featured at the World Cup and was one of several players involved in drama at Sporting during the summer transfer window.

There's also a spot for ex-Manchester United winger Nani who, at 31, has four goals to his name so far this season.

[25 October 2018 17:31 · Jack Sear]

Less than half an hour to go

We're closing in on kick-off at the Estádio José Alvalade.

Remember, both of these sides are on 6 points in Group E, having won both of their opening matches in this years competition. The winner of this one will open up a three point gap at the top of the table.

Arsenal are unbeaten in 10, but they've never actually won an away match in Portugal (D3, L3), losing each of their last three.

[25 October 2018 17:38 · Jack Sear]

A tough task for the Gunners

Sporting Lisbon had a tough time in the summer, losing several of their key players, but they boast a 100% record in Europe this season and are fifth in the league, having only been beaten twice so far this term.

We saw Unai Emery use the likes of Emile Smith-Rowe and other youngsters in Arsenal's previous Europa League matches, but there's no place for any of them in the squad tonight.

A sign, perhaps, that Emery knows that his side are in for a game tonight.

[25 October 2018 17:48 · Jack Sear]

The forgotten man

We should mention that a certain Mr Carl Jenkinson features in the Arsenal squad tonight. Remember him?

The right-back hasn't played for the Gunners since November 2016, but a number of injuries at full-back mean he could be in line for an appearance tonight. 

[25 October 2018 17:53 · Samuel Lovett]

Get it out of your system now, lads

[25 October 2018 17:53 · Jack Sear]

Here come the teams

Right then, we're nearly ready to go here. The teams are out on the pitch and that rather dramatic sounding Europa League anthem can be heard around the ground.