Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Champions League match.
It seems that after another disappointment in the Premier League, Arsenal will shift their focus to achieving success in European competitions. They need to defeat Dinamo Zagreb without any upset—the Londoners are capable of securing the required scoreline before half-time.
Arsenal
Their win over AS Monaco (3:0) in the sixth group stage round allowed Arsenal to maintain their position in the Champions League top 8. Against the Monegasques, Bukayo Saka scored 1+2, while Arsenal achieved 2.29 xG. Currently, their key creative force is Leandro Trossard—he has outperformed Gabriel Martinelli on the left flank, and last week, the Belgian recorded 1+2 against both Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa (2:2).
Dinamo Zagreb
Victories over two of the Champions League's struggling sides, Red Bull Salzburg (2:0) and Slovan Bratislava (4:1), were not enough for Dinamo Zagreb to reach the top 24 of the group stage. Against Borussia Dortmund (0:3) and Celtic (0:0), the Zagreb side played very passively in the opposition's half, creating just 0.66 xG and managing only three shots on target in these encounters. The squad will be without Bruno Petković, Luka Sučić, and Kevin Théophile-Catherine—all of whom are key players in their respective lines, leaving the coaching staff to reshuffle with reserves in their absence.
Arsenal vs Dinamo Zagreb Prediction
Dinamo Zagreb have not played an official match for a whole month, and their trip to the Emirates Stadium will be a serious challenge for the Croatians. Arsenal are set for an easy victory, so we're backing the Londoners with a negative handicap.
