Sporting CP vs Arsenal: Preview, predictions and lineups | OneFootball

Arsenal have a daunting Champions League test on Tuesday night as they take on Sporting CP in Lisbon on Matchday 5 of the league phase.

The Gunners returned to winning ways at the weekend as they suffocated Nottingham Forest on their way to a comfortable 3-0 triumph that finally igntied some good feeling on the red half of north London.

Martin Odegaard's presence has facilitated greater balance within Mikel Arteta's framework after almost two months out, and the captain's going to have a huge role to play amid Arsenal's quest to enjoy a trophy-laden 2024/25 campaign.

Supporters will hope Saturday's win will ignite what's been a stuttering season so far. Sporting CP, meanwhile, have enjoyed a seamless opening to 2024/25 and only trail Liverpool in the league phase table having thumped Manchester City 4-1 in this competition last time out.

The Portuguese champions are, of course, now without Ruben Amorim, but Joao Pereira's reign started with an emphatic 6-0 victory in the Taca de Portugal on Friday night. Sporting are also 11 for 11 in the Primeira Liga and among the best performing teams in Europe this season.

Here's 90min's preview of this intriguing Champions League duel.

Sporting CP vs Arsenal H2H Results (Last Five Games)

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Sporting CP team news

Pedro Goncalves scored from the halfway line in the previous meeting with Arsenal, but he's unlikely to play on Tuesday / Sebastian Frej/MB Media/GettyImages

The hosts are pretty healthy heading into this one, and they've had an extra day's rest having played on Friday night.

Sporting are without Nuno Santos due to a long-term knee injury, while Pedro Goncalves, who beat Aaron Ramsdale from the halfway line on the previous meeting between these two sides, is also likely to miss out.

Former Tottenham hotshot Marcus Edwards scored twice in the cup and could retain his place in Sporting's frontline which is headlined by goal machine Viktor Gyokeres.

Sporting CP predicted lineup vs Arsenal

Sporting predicted lineup vs Arsenal (3-4-2-1): Israel; Reis, Inacio, Diomande; Quenda, Morita, Hjulmand, Araujo; Trincao, Edwards; Gyokeres.

Arsenal team news

Rice was absent at the weekend but could return on Tuesday / Mike Hewitt/GettyImages

The Gunners were dealt a big blow over the break as it was revealed that Ben White had undergone minor knee surgery which will likely rule him out until the new year. With Takehiro Tomiyasu also yet to return to the fold, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori will start at full-back on Tuesday.

Declan Rice didn't feature at the weekend as he continues to nurse a foot injury, but the England international could return to the matchday squad in midweek.

Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli were unused substitutes in the victory over Forest. Both players will likely be rotated into the XI in Lisbon.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Sporting (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Partey, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.

After a tough start to the season, Arsenal are poised to go on a run up until the new year with Odegaard keen to make up for lost time. The captain gives the Gunners a big chance on occasions like these, with Sporting set to cede control and aim to spring in transition - as they did to devastating effect against City.

Arsenal will have to be patient in Lisbon, and Arteta's structure will be put to the test by an excellent Sporting team that's ever so assured of themselves and able to attack from a myriad of angles.

This is bound to be a chess match, and you shouldn't expect thrills and spills. It's going to be a game of fine margins, but the visitors are better placed than anyone Sporting have faced this season to mitigate their threat.