Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen LIVE: Team news as Gyokeres starts in must-win Champions League clash | OneFootball

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Calafiori on his Scorpion Block and Defending "Our House"

Arsenal require nothing less than victory on the night against Bayer Leverkusen to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finals and keep their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple alive.

The Gunners were fortunate to leave the BayArena with their last-16 tie all square, with a contentious late penalty from former Leverkusen star Havertz cancelling out Robert Andrich’s opener just after half-time.

Mikel Arteta’s side remain in a strong position to progress but will need to prevent any slip-ups at home to avoid a shocking European exit.

Arsenal will be in high spirits off the back of the weekend, which saw 16-year-old Max Dowman become the youngest Premier League goalscorer ever as he inspired a potentially defining win over Everton to take the leaders nine points clear.

Bayer Leverkusen go with the 'if it ain't broke' approach

Bayer Leverkusen have fielded an identical XI to the team that came very close to beating Arsenal last week.

Kasper Hjulmand will hope his attack of Martin Terrier, Christian Kofane and Ibrahim Maza can do more damage than they managed in Germany, with defender Robert Andrich the goalscorer then.

Patrick Schick and Malik Tillman drop to the bench from the weekend’s draw against Bayern.

(Getty)

Will Castle17 March 2026 18:57

Viktor Gyokeres restored to Arsenal team

Viktor Gyokeres has been restored to Mikel Arteta’s starting XI after being benched for the weekend’s win over Everton.

Arsenal also bring in Ben White at right-back with Jurrien Timber out, with Leandro Trossard makes fitness to return.

Teenage sensation Max Dowman, who scored on the weekend, is among the substitutes.

(Bradley Collyer/PA Wire)

Will Castle17 March 2026 18:54

Closing in on team news

Just a couple minutes until we learn the line-ups for tonight’s crunch clash...

Will Castle17 March 2026 18:43

Arsenal set for transfer boost after Chelsea hit with academy ban

Arsenal are well placed to profit from Chelsea’s sanctions over breaching Premier League rules by signing some of the best young players in the country in the coming months.

Chelsea were hit with a nine-month Academy transfer ban after self-reporting potential historical breaches of rules during the Roman Abramovich era in 2022.

An independent commission has now concluded its findings, handing out the Academy ban, in addition to a one-year first-team ban on transfers, which is suspended for two years.

Arsenal set for transfer boost after Chelsea hit with academy ban

After Chelsea were hit with a nine-month ban on signing academy players, Arsenal stand to profit and set up a bright future should they acquire some of the best young players in the country

Miguel Delaney17 March 2026 18:30

How Max Dowman galvanised Arsenal’s title charge – and what next for history-making teenager

As the Arsenal players got into an ecstatic dressing room, the man of the match wasn’t there. Goalscorer Viktor Gyokeres even came in carrying his award.

That is all because Max Dowman isn’t actually the man of the match but the boy of the match, since he’s still… just a child. Premier League rules mean he’s not actually allowed to change in the same dressing room as adults. He has to go around near the referees’ room.

Maybe it also serves as another little way to keep a mere 16-year-old centred after such a moment, too, but nobody who knows the Dowmans says he needs that. His parents are said to still ground him for misbehaving, and are conscious of keeping the obvious confidence that comes with such ability in check.

They were of course among many people at Arsenal in tears after Dowman scored that crucial clinching goal against Everton. As was openly being said in the dressing room by many staff, they’d known him since he was small. You might quip that wasn’t that long ago, but it also speaks to the speed of his development.

And here he was, at 16 years and 73 days, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history.

How Dowman galvanised Arsenal’s title charge – and what next for history-making teen

The 16-year-old’s ‘extraordinary’ football brain was on show as he produced a moment of magic in the win over Everton and made his case for inclusion in the England squad despite his tender years

Miguel Delaney17 March 2026 18:20