Red Star Belgrade vs Arsenal: TV channel, stream, kick-off time, odds & match preview

  /  autty

The Gunners will hope to put their disappointing defeat to Watford behind them as they turn their attention back to Europe.

Arsenal can move five points clear at the top of Group H when they meet Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League on Thursday.

Having made light work of Cologne and BATE Borisov in September, the Gunners are currently top of the group and Red Star are their nearest rivals with four points.

With a difficult Premier League encounter with Everton to come three days later, Arsene Wenger will be hoping for a positive reaction from his players following their loss to Watford, which was their third league defeat of the season.

TV CHANNEL & LIVE STREAM

In the UK, the game will be available to watch live on television on BT Sport 2, as well as being available to stream live using the BT Sport app.

In the US, the game will be broadcast live on television on FS2, and it will also be available to stream live online using Fox Sports GO, Fox Soccer Match Pass as well as WatchESPN. In addition, ESPN 3 will broadcast the game in its entirety later at 15:00 (ET).

SQUADS & TEAM NEWS

Red Star Belgrade appear to have a full complement of players to choose from ahead of the game. Among the talents in their squad are Ghana international Richmond Boakye, Roma loanee Nemanja Radonjic and Luka Ilic, who is on loan from Manchester City.

Potential starting XI: Borjan; Savic, Rodic, Stojkovic, Le Tallec; Donald, Krsticic, Radonjic, Ilic; Boakye, Pesic.

Arsenal will be without the services of Shkodran Mustafi, who suffered a hamstring injury while on international duty with Germany, while Santi Cazorla is out as he continues to recover from a knee problem.

There are concerns over the fitness of Laurent Koscielny, who was forced off in the defeat against Watford due to a calf issue, so Rob Holding may come into the defence, while Danny Welbeck is also unlikely to play due to a hamstring complaint.

Potential starting XI: Ospina; Mertesacker, Holding, Monreal, Kolasinac, Bellerin; Xhaka, Wilshere, Ozil; Sanchez, Lacazette.

BETTING & MATCH ODDS

Arsenal are 3/4 favourites to win according to dabblebet, with Red Star Belgrade priced at 10/3 to beat the Gunners. A draw between the teams in Serbia is considered an 11/4 bet.

Click here to check out all the latest odds for the Europa League clash between Arsenal and Red Star Belgrade, including first goalscorer, correct score and more.

GAME PREVIEW

Arsenal's defeat to Watford last Saturday brought a juddering halt to an unbeaten streak that had stretched to seven games, including four consecutive wins, and Wenger's men will be desperate to put it behind them when they travel to Serbia.

Despite the seemingly neverending concerns over the futures of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, the Gunners had been on an upward trajectory until last weekend, but the loss against the Hornets means that they now sit in sixth place instead of fourth in the Premier League.

The Europa League may not be the ideal stage on which Arsenal players want to showcase their abilities, but it has, nevertheless, allowed them some reprieve from the intensity of the league and they have waltzed through their first two games, scoring seven goals in the process.

Red Star are currently their closest rivals in Group H and may provide a more difficult test for the Gunners, so a win in Belgrade will not only see them edge closer to the knock-out stage, it will be the perfect preparation as they return to league action against a struggling Everton side on Sunday afternoon.

Related: Arsenal Arsène Wenger
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