Arsenal vs PSG: Gunners miss Santi Cazorla as November bites

HALF TIME: Arsenal 1 PSG 1

An off-colour Arsenal go in at the break on level terms thanks to a Giroud penalty on the stroke of half time.

The Gunners will be grateful for a lifeline after a below par opening half in which PSG dominated possession and took the lead through Cavani after 18 minutes, who slid in at the far post to convert a pass from Matuidi.

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It could have been worse for Arsenal, who were barely in the game at times. Cavani twice had chances with headers, but failed to connect.

The Gunner did improve towards the end of the half, but barely deserved to be on level terms.

It will be interesting to see how Wenger reacts. Had it been 1-0 he would have had to make changes, but at 1-1 may decide to give his starting XI another chance.

46 mins: GOAL! ARSENAL 1 PSG 1 - Olivier Giroud

After everyone has calmed down up steps Giroud... and he scores!

And that is the end of the first half.

45 mins: PENALTY TO ARSENAL

Sanchez is felled by Krychowiak after a lovely reverse ball from Ozil into the box and Felix Brych waits for a second before pointing to the spot!

Finally some quality from Arsenal after a move involving Giroud, Ozil and finally Sanchez, who was clipped by the PSG man as he twisted and turned in the box. The contact was pretty minimal but Krychowiak did appear to take his standing leg.

It is Giroud who will take the spot kick after Cavani has calmed down - the Uruguayan is involved with some handbags involving Aaron Ramsey.

40 mins: Arsenal corner

The crowd come to life as the Gunners fashion an attack that results in a corner, but PSG clear. Arsenal come again and appeals for handball in the box against Matuidi are waved away.

That's more like it though from the home side. There's been a bit of determination and character on show in the last couple of minutes.

36 mins: Coquelin booked

Arsenal's enforcer, who hasn't done much in the way of enforcing so far, is shown a yellow card, somewhat harshly, for a tackle on Motta in the centre circle.

The Gunners then attack, but Sanchez sends in a woeful cross that floats over the box and out for a goal kick. That's symptomatic of the Arsenal performance.

31 mins: Booking

Marquinhos is booked after he hauls down Sanchez as Arsenal try to break after a corner. Cynical but effective from the Brazil defender.

28 mins: Penalty appeal

Arsenal finally hold the ball for a while, and after passing it around inside the PSG half Ramsey surges into the box. He goes shoulder to shoulder with Silva and hits the deck appealing for a penalty. The referee, rightly, is not interested.

PSG are definitely on top. They are under little or no pressure when they have the ball and Arsenal can't lay a glove on them when they attack.

26 mins: Ozil unlucky

Finally a glimmer of an opening for the Gunners as Ozil gets the ball in the PSG box. The German executes a lovely turn but his cross deflects off a defender and back to him, and goes out for a goal kick.

Arsenal have had less than 40 per cent of the possession so far.

23 mins: Giroud offside

Arsenal are looking for a response but it is not happening for them. They have hardly had the ball for one thing and when Koscielny strides forward into the PSG half his ball finds Giroud, whose movement has been minimal so far this evening, in an offside position.

Worrying times for the Gunners, who look more like the away team here.

18 mins: GOAL: Arsenal 0 PSG 1

Cavani slides in at the far post to convert a low ball into the box from Matuidi. More poor defending from the Gunners who are behind!

15 mins: Off the line!

Arsenal leave Cavani completely unmarked at a corner and his near post header is almost poked home by Thiago Silva, but there is a man on the line to save the Gunners' blushes.

That was not very impressive at the back from Wenger's men.

13 mins: Iwobi full of running

Iwobi looks full of energy this evening, but the youngster is guilty of not looking up as he runs at the PSG defence. His left sided teammate Gibbs was in a great position as Iwobi charged the defence but he elected to cut inside, but failed to get a shot off.

11 mins: PSG comfortable

The Emirates is in good voice, but it is PSG dominating possession. The French side are very comfortable on the ball and are happy to pass the ball around and probe for an opening. But so far the Gunners are offering no room for the French forwards to exploit.

If this was a boxing match you would say the Parisiens are throwing a lot of jabs but landing very few.

6 mins: Cavani close

PSG's first chance comes as Meunier gets the better of Gibbs on the right and floats in a tempting cross. Cavani gets in a good leap under pressure from Koscielny but can't quite get to the ball. That was close, and similar to PSG's opening goal in Paris the last time these two sides met.

4 mins: Coquelin mistake

The Arsenal midfielder spins and passes the ball straight to Cavani on the edge of the Arsenal box, biut his teammates react quickly and snuff out the danger. Verratti's through ball is safely gathered by Ospina.

3 mins: Jenkinson cross

Arsenal's first attack involves a lovely flick from Ozil and a ball out to Jenkinson on the right from Sanchez, but the full back's cross is too deep for Giroud.

1 min: Off we go

We are underway at the Emirates as Arsenal kick off, and give the ball away immediately. But there's no drama as the Gunners settle down and begin to build.

7.43pm: The teams are out: There's plenty of razzmatazz at the Emirates as the crowd are treated to a spectacular light show before the teams emerge and stand respectfully for the Champions League anthem.

No room for Xhaka, but Giroud returns

Arsene Wenger's lack of faith in £30m summer signing Granit Xhaka has been exposed by his team selection for the clash with Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates.

The young midfielder is once again on the bench, with Aaron Ramsey and Francis Coquelin chosen in central midfield.

Up front Olivier Giroud gets a start and Alex Iwobi returns, with Theo Walcott on the bench. Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez also play. David Ospina is in goal and Kieran Gibbs joins the back four.

PSG have Adrien Rabiot, Angel Di Maria and Javier Pastore missing for a crucial game that should determine who tops Group A.

Arsenal: Ospina, Jenkinson, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs, Sanchez, Ramsey, Coquelin, Iwobi, Ozil, Giroud.Subs: Cech, Gabriel, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Monreal, Xhaka, Elneny.

PSG: Areola, Meunier, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Maxwell, Verratti, Krychowiak, Thiago Motta, Lucas Moura, Cavani, Matuidi.Subs: Trapp, Kimpembe, Ben Arfa, Jese, Nkunku, Augustin, Ikone.

Referee: Felix Brych (Germany)

Xhaka, Ozil and Sanchez have points to prove against PSG

23 November

Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League at the Emirates, with the prize being a top spot in Group A for the winners.

After years of underachievement in Europe, winning the group could make a significant difference to the Gunners' Champions League prospects.

Arsenal have not got beyond the last 16 of the tournament since 2010, while in five of the past six years, they have finished second in their group only to fall to seeded opposition in the first knockout round.

It is an opportunity "they can't afford to miss", says Rio Ferdinand in the London Evening Standard. "They have finished runners-up for four successive seasons, been given a tough draw in the last 16 and gone out.

"Encouragingly, there does seem to be a lot more resilience about Arsenal this season. It is a trait I first saw away at PSG. They were totally outplayed and yet came away with a point. The 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Saturday was a similar story," he adds.

However, things don't always go smoothly for Arsenal in November and their "season has wobbled ever so slightly in recent weeks, with 1-1 draws against Tottenham and Manchester United either side of the recent international break", writes Jack de Menezes in The Independent.

Several players will be under scrutiny as the Gunners face PSG, adds the journalist, including Mesut Ozil, who "still faces accusations that he only delivers against the smaller sides", and Alexis Sanchez, who is still under something of a fitness cloud, having picked up a thigh problem on international duty.

It will also be a big game for summer signing Granit Xhaka. He has [4]failed to cement a place in the Arsenal team since his £30m transfer, despite being recruited "to be the much-discussed piece of midfield steel that would enable the flair players to weave their patterns", says Riath al-Samarrai of Mail Online.

Nevertheless, Xhaka has started only five Premier League games and two in the Champions League and has been left on the bench "when the stakes have seemed greatest".

It means manager Arsene Wenger "seems stuck with the same old dilemma of how to stock the middle of his team", adds the Mail.

With Santi Cazorla still out injured, the Gunners boss must choose from one of several alternative combinations at his disposal - and the Daily Telegraph believes he will opt for Xhaka and Francis Coquelin in the centre of midfield.

"In many respects this pairing looks to be the closest alternative Wenger has to the Francis Coquelin and Cazorla 'Coqzorla' axis that is his first choice central midfield," says the paper's Charlie Eccleshare.

"Xhaka would probably be asked to sit the deeper of the two and start attacks from in front of the defence, in the way that Cazorla does so expertly. Xhaka does not have the Spaniard's quick feet to work his way out of tight spaces, but he does have an excellent passing range to feed the likes of Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott in dangerous positions."