17′ Holding looks for a long ball over the top for Saka, but the centre-half gets too much on his pass and it bounces out of play. That was a little hopeful from the Arsenal defender.
15′ OVER! A big switch to the right sees Bah charge towards the byline from right-back before lofting a cross into the middle that is headed out as far as Provod just outside the box. The midfielder tries to guide it in from distance with his left foot, but sends it just over the bar!
13′ Saka links play well again down the right as he finds Bellerin with an incisive ball into space. The right-back bursts forward and fizzes a low cross into the middle, but it’s hacked clear before it can reach Lacazette.
11′ Saka shows quick feet on the right and opens his body up before playing the ball over the top for Lacazette to chase, but he just gets a fraction too much on the pass. Lovely vision to spot the run, though.
9′ BLOCK! Dorley takes a first-time shot at goal from outside the box after a corner is repelled, but it strikes a team-mate and bounces clear!
7′ Arsenal press up the field as Slavia try to play out and Kolar skews a very wayward ball straight out of play for a throw-in. He still had a little time, but the goalkeeper did not look comfortable on the ball there.
5′ CHANCE! Lacazette plays the ball in behind and Saka races into the box to meet it, but a sliding challenge just takes the ball away from him as he’s about to pull the trigger!
3′ The opening stages are a little scrappy, with neither side able to settle on the ball and control the game.
1′ We’re underway at the Emirates!
Arsenal are unbeaten against Czech opposition in European competition (W7 D1), keeping seven clean sheets in eight matches; they have scored 22 times and conceded only twice across these games.
The only previous matches between Arsenal and Slavia Prague in European competition were in the group stages of the 2007/08 Champions League – Arsenal won 7-0 at home before drawing 0-0 away. In the 7-0 win, five of Arsenal’s goals were scored by players aged 20 or younger (Walcott x2, Fabregas, x2, Bendtner x1).
Slavia boss Jindrich Trpisovsky, meanwhile, makes four changes after his side were held to a 0-0 draw against Brno in domestic action. Masopust, and Kuchta drop to the bench, while Taras Kacharaba and Mick van Buren miss out. Boril, Dorley, Stanciu and Sima start in their places.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta makes six changes from the side that started in the disappointing 3-0 defeat against Liverpool last time out. Cedric, Bellerin, Xhaka, Willian, Saka and Smith Rowe all come in to the side – with the latter two back to full fitness. Ceballos, Pepe and club captain Aubameyang are dropped to the bench, while Calum Chambers misses out alongside injured duo Kieran Tierney and Martin Odegaard – who join David Luiz on the treatment table.
Slavia Prague substitutes: Stanislav Tecl, Denis Visinsky, Ibrahim Benjamin Traore, Jan Kuchta, Premysl Kovar, Petr Sevcik, Lukas Masopust, Ondrej Lingr, Jan Stejskal.
Slavia Prague XI (4-3-3): Ondrej Kolar; Alexander Bah, Tomas Holes, David Zima, Jan Boril; Nicolae Stanciu, Jakub Hromada, Lukas Provod; Oscar Dorley, Abdallah Dipo Sima, Peter Olayinka.
Arsenal substitutes: Mohamed Elneny, Karl Hein, Reiss Nelson, Dani Ceballos, Miguel Azeez, Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli, Pablo Mari, Mat Ryan, Nicolas Pepe, Joel Lopez, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Bernd Leno; Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding, Gabriel Magalhaes, Cedric Soares; Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka; Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Willian; Alexandre Lacazette.
Arsenal will be eyeing a third Europa League semi-final in four seasons as they bid to qualify for the Champions League through this competition and will hope for a strong start at home against Slavia Prague tonight.
Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Europa League quarter-final first leg clash between Arsenal and Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium in London.
19′ Gabriel surges all the way out of defence to combine with Smith Rowe on the left wing. The latter exchanges passes with the centre-back and whips it into the box, but it’s repelled.