UEFA Champions League Matchday 2 Team News And Injuries For British Clubs

Ahead of the match, Erik ten Hag confirmed the latest team news on manutd.com. The Dutch coach will have Anthony available for selection after the Brazil international trained with the squad over the weekend.

Speaking to the press at Carrington, he said. ‘Antony will be in consideration. Yesterday was his first time in team training. We have a final training session and then we’ll make a decision. But he will be in consideration, yeah. I think the team news is probably just that Antony dos Santos can return’.

He did not mention Sergio Reguilon, who will presumably miss the match, giving the manager another headache over the left-back spot. Sofyan Amrabat was deployed as a full-back in the 1-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace last Saturday.

Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lisandro Martinez, Kobbie Mainoo, Amad, Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho will definitely be unavailable.

Ten Hag needs to be aware that Galatasaray have lost only one of their last 19 UEFA club competition matches.

Lens v Arsenal

Arsenal will travel to France for Matchday 2 on Tuesday, October 3. Lens scraped a 1-1 draw with LaLiga outfit Sevilla on Matchday 1.

Franck Haise heaped praise on his players after the game. ‘The team played with heart, with intelligence, and showed that we are still here and we are still a good side. I know what they are capable of. I have full confidence in my squad’.

The Gunners meanwhile thrashed PSV 4-0 in their group B opener. In their last 18 Champions League group stage matches, Arsenal have never failed to score.

Mikel Arteta has Thomas Partey back from injury. He took part in training but it is doubtful that he will be ready to start tonight’s game, possibly settling for a place on the bench.

As always, the respected Italian football expert Fabrizio Romano was on the ball with the news, tweeting: “‘Feels great to be back again’, Thomas Partey says after returning to training with Arsenal squad’.

“Feels great to be back again”, Thomas Partey says after returning to training with Arsenal squad 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/q6e91OPT4I

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 2, 2023

Leandro Trossard has reportedly recovered from his injury so will be pressing for a place in the starting line-up, possibly at the expense of Eddie Nketiah.

Despite picking up a knock against Bournemouth last Saturday, Bukayo Saka has reportedly travelled with the squad and could be available.

Arteta could be tempted to start with Takehiro Tomiyasu and rest Oleksandr Zinchenko for the massive Premier League game against Man City next weekend.

Gabriel Martinelli is sidelined with a hamstring injury and Jurrien Timber is a long-term casualty with an ACL injury.

Celtic v Lazio

Brendan Rodgers has a tough match on his hands this Wednesday, October 4, when the Glasgow outfit welcomes the Italian giants Lazio to Celtic Park in Group E.

On Matchday 1, the Hoops finished the match in Rotterdam with only nine players as they went down 2-0 in the Netherlands.

‘If we can get to the last game when we play Feyenoord at home with everything to play for, then we will be in with a fantastic chance, the Northern Irishman said philosophically after the game.

Celtic’s record at home in ECL group matches is not great, with the Bhoys having lost 10 matches on the trot. Lazio however are unbeaten in their last seven group-stage games but have only won once away from home in 16 matches.

Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm will both be unavailable thanks to the red cards they picked up against Fetenoord.

After his return from injury, Nat Phillips is most likely to partner Liam Scales in defence. Cameron Carter-Vickers is still sidelined while winger Liel Abada is a long-term absentee with a thigh injury. Joe Hart should be recalled in goal after missing the Motherwell match due to a ban.

Newcastle v PSG

As Champions League football returns to St. James’ Park for the first time in more than 20 years, Eddie Howe’s Magpies will surely go into this Group F match on Wednesday, October 4, in a confident mood.

They face the French champions off the back of an 8-0 Premier League defeat that they inflicted on Sheffield United. They followed that with a 1-0 win over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup.

A goalless draw in Milan on Matchday 1 proved that Newcastle have the steel to travel to top European clubs and get a result. In their last 19 UEFA group stage matches, Newcastle have only lost twice.

PSG pulled off an excellent 2-0 win against Dortmund last time out and thumped Marseille 4-0 in Ligue 1 in their next match.

Kylian Mbappe limped off injured in that game but featured against Clermont Foot last weekend. Nuno Mendes, Marco Asensio and Presnel Kimpembe are all unavailable.

Newcastle look likely to be without both Joelinton and Callum Wilson as a result of hamstring injuries. Sven Botman will definitely be out, as will Joe Willock.

RB Leipzig v Manchester City

Pep Guardiola’s defending champions come into this Group G clash on Wednesday, October 4, with the unusual record of two consecutive defeats.

The Germans beat Young Boys 3-1 away in Switzerland on Matchday 1 but Marco Rose knows only too well that this will be a rather more difficult encounter.

Erling Haaland bagged himself a hat-trick the last time the sides met in the second leg of their round of 16 clash last season. In their last 30 Champions League group stage matches, Man City have only lost on two occasions.

While City have a mounting injury list, things are not a lot better in the German camp. Kevin Kampl injured his hip against Bayern last weekend, which means he joined Timo Werner, Dani Olmo, Willi Orban and El Chadaille Bitshiabu on the treatment table.

Bernardo Silva and John Stones are both said to be near to a return from injury and one, or both, could feature at some point. Rodri is available though since his three-match ban only applies domestically.