Arsenal vs Dinamo Zagreb Prediction

We are approaching the end of the league phase of this season’s UEFA Champions League and the games are getting tastier. Arsenal are in a very strong position to automatically qualify for the next round while Dinamo Zagreb will need a few points from their last two matches to be able to secure a playoff spot.

Key Stats

• Arsenal have won four of their six games in the Champions League this season
• They have scored an average of two goals per game in the competition
• Dinamo Zagreb have won two, drawn two and lost two in Europe this season
• They have conceded 15 times but managed a respectable 10 goals scored

Arsenal vs Dinamo Zagreb, Form and Players to Watch

Arsenal are in a bit of a rut in their domestic competitions, especially the cups. They lost in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final, and were knocked out of the third round of the FA Cup. Last weekend they let a two goal lead slip against Aston Villa to draw 2-2. In the Champions League they have been a lot better, having only lost against Inter Milan.

Dinamo Zagreb are not doing particularly well in their domestic league either. They currently sit in third place, seven points off second having won one of their last five games in the league. Their issue is not offensively, having scored the most goals in the league, but defensively, as they have conceded 24 times in just 18 matches.

Arsenal Preview

Arsenal Predicted Lineup - David Raya; Miles Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel, Jakub Kiwior, Jurrien Timber; Mikel Merino, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard; Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Raheem Sterling

Arsenal are thin on the ground in terms of personnel because of a number of injuries to key players. Most obviously is Bukayo Saka, who will be out until at least March. William Saliba missed the game against Aston Villa at the weekend and I don’t think he will be rushed back for this game. Gabriel Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White are also still missing.

From his injury earlier in the season, we could see how important Martin Odegaard was for Arsenal, as his injury coincided with Arsenal losing to Bournemouth, Newcastle and Inter Milan. He may not have the stats in his favour, scoring once and assisting three times in the league this season, but his influence is evident.

Dinamo Zagreb Preview

Dinamo Zagreb Predicted Lineup - Danijel Zagorac; Ronael Pierre-Gabriel, Kevin Theophile-Catherine, Maxime Bernauer, Stefan Ristovski; Marko Rog, Lukas Kacavenda; Marko Pjaca, Martin Baturina, Dario Spikic; Sandro Kulenovic

Despite their struggles in both the domestic league and the Champions League this season, Dinamo Zagreb actually have some strong attacking talent. 21-year-old Martin Baturina has been looked at by a few Premier League clubs both in the summer and in this window, but it is Sandro Kulenovic who is most likely to cause Arsenal problems, especially if Saliba isn’t fit enough for this match. He has eight goals in the Croatian top flight as well as five in the Champions League so far this season.

Head to Head Stats - Arsenal vs Dinamo Zagreb

Arsenal and Dinamo Zagreb have met in the Group Stage of the Champions League before, most recently in 2015 when goals from Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil were enough to give the Gunners victory at the Emirates. Dinamo fans will be hoping that this match will be a repeat of the reverse fixture in that season, as they won 2-1 with Olivier Giroud getting shown a red card.

24th Nov 2015 - Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb - UEFA Champions League

16th Sep 2015 - Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 Arsenal - UEFA Champions League

Betting Tips for Arsenal vs Dinamo Zagreb

Arsenal definitely have enough talent to beat Dinamo Zagreb. They also have the home crowd, who will be wanting a response from their last match, so it will be very difficult for Zagreb to get a result here. That being said, Dinamo Zagreb have some good attackers and the Gunners have a makeshift back four, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the away side managed to sneak a goal.

With all of this in mind, our team of professional experts have decided that the best tip for this game is for Arsenal to Win + BTTS. Odds of 2/1 on CopyBet means that a £10 bet could see a potential return of £30.

(odds subject to change)

Final Prediction

Arsenal 3-1 Dinamo Zagreb

Check out our other tips and predictions.