Key events
21 min: Albert Gronbaek tries to play Runar Espjord in behind the Arsenal defence and his team-mate beats the offside trap. There’s a bit too much welly on the pass and Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner is quick off his line and out of his area to clear.
20 min: Ola Solbakken chests down a pass from midfield on the touchline and sends the ball into the Arsenal penalty area. It’s cleared.
17 min: Arsenal are dominating possession but creating little or nothing in the way of goalscoring opportunities. Nothing is happening.
12 min: Bodo/Glimt have been forced into an early change. Their skipper, Ulrik Saltnes, who started the match carrying an injury, is unable to continue. He’s replaced by Albert Gronbaek.
9 min: Bukayo Saka is fouled by Brice Wembangomo and Arsenal win a free-kick a few yards inside the Bodo-Glimt half. Nothing comes of it.
8 min: Already looking impressive, Pellegrino combines with Ulrik Saltnes to get the ball into the Arsenal penalty area from the left for Bodo/Glimt. The visitors clear.
6 min: That was a decent attack from Bodo/Glimt. It took a crucial touch from Rob Holding to prevent Ola Solbakken from firing home.
4 min: Amahl Pellegrino gets in behind the Arsenal defence and drills the ball across the face of their goal. Like with Arsenal’s first attack of note, there’s nobody there to convert his excellent cross.
2 min: Arsenal string a few passes together, getting a feel for the pitch, before getting the ball forward to Bukayo Saka down the inside right. He hooks the ball over the advancing goalkeeper, Nikita Halkin and it bounces across the six-yard box. There’s nobody on hand to prod it home.
Bodo/Glimt v Arsenal is go …
1 min: Bodo/Glimt kick off, their players wearing yellow shirts, shorts and socks as they attempt to win their 15th consecutive home game in Europe. Their English visitors wear black shirts, shorts and socks.
Not long now: The teams are out, lined up either side of referee Irfan Peljto and his team of match officials. They stand for the Europa League anthems in front of a capacity 8,500 crowd. Kick-off is just a couple of minutes away.
Another email: “This will feel downright balmy for Matt Turner between the sticks tonight,” writes Michael. “There was speculation earlier this year that he suffered frostbite playing in subzero temperatures on national team duty”
An email: “Wait,” writes Rob. “If it’s a plastic pitch, why are they watering it in your photo?” Fake water? Or don’t plastic pitches these days have some grass in them?
Those teams: Mikel Arteta makes seven changes to the side that lined up against Liverpool on Sunday. Matt Turner, Rob Holding, Kieran Tierney, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah all start.
Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen makes two changes to the side that beat Sandefjord at the weekend. Midfielder Ulrik Saltnes and winger Runar Espejord come into his side.
Bodo/Glimt’s pitch: While temperatures in the Arctic Circle are due to be above zero tonight, Arsenal’s players will have to contend with their hosts’ artificial pitch, a surface they have not had an opportunity to train on.
“What we think about is how we are going to win the game,” said Mikel Arteta in his pre-match press conference. “That’s it. How we win every three days, in different conditions, in different contexts, in different weather, in different competitions, and that’s the only way we are approaching it. Even if it’s windy, or rainy or snowy, that’s not an excuse. Our focus is to win every three days and find a way to do it every time.
“Obviously, everybody is aware that there are a lot of things that are different. The speed is different, the way you can use the grass is different and we will have to adapt to it. We know that, we are here to win the game and tomorrow night for sure we are going to play on an artificial pitch.”
Nick Ames reports from the Arctic Circle: Mikel Arteta says he will fully back his players’ accounts of the altercation that clouded the latter stages of Arsenal’s win against Liverpool on Sunday. The Football Association has been reviewing the heated dispute that broke out during added time, with Gabriel Magalhães and Jordan Henderson at its centre.
Bodo/Glimt v Arsenal line-ups
Bodo/Glimt: Haikin, Sampsted, Hoibraten, Lode, Wembangomo, Vetlesen, Berg, Saltnes, Espejord, Solbakken, Pellegrino.
Subs: Lund, Sery Larsen, Amundsen, Gronbaek, Morten Konradsen, Moe, Hagen, Sorli, Zugelj, Mugisha, Salvesen.
Arsenal: Turner, White, Holding, Saliba, Tierney, Odegaard, Sambi Lokonga, Vieira, Saka, Nketiah, Nelson.
Subs: Ramsdale, Partey, Gabriel, Martinelli, Cedric, Tomiyasu, Alencar, Hein, Xhaka, Smith, Edwards, Ibrahim.
Tonight’s match officials
-
Referee: Irfan Peljto
-
Assistant referees: Davor Beljo and Damir Lazić
-
Fourth official: Admir Šehović
-
Video Assistant Referee: Marco Guida
Early team news
With the exception of long-term absentees Sondre Fet and Gaute Hoberg, Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen, who was recently linked with the vacant Brighton manager’s job eventually taken by Roberto De Zerbi, is believed to have a full squad to choose from.
Gabriel Jesus is one of several players who have not travelled with Arsenal as the Brazilian striker is being rested ahead of his side’s game against Leeds on Sunday. Mikel Arteta refused to specify who else was being left at home but Mohamed Elneny, Emile Smith-Rowe and Oleksandr Zinchenko all remain sidelined for Arsenal.
Martin Odegaard has travelled back to his homeland but is not expected to start for the Gunners. Some or all of fringe players Rob Holding, Fabio Vieira, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Marquinhos and Eddie Nketiah could start tonight.
Europa League Group A: Bodo/Glimt v Arsenal
Top of the table with two wins from two, Arsenal travel due north of the Arctic Circle to take on Norwegian Eliteserien side Bodo/Glimt in their latest Europa League adventure. It’s Arsenal’s first ever visit to the 8,300-capacity Aspymra Stadion and they travel as Premier League leaders, with their fans in uncharacteristically upbeat mood after an excellent start to the season.
While they are hot favourites tonight after beating their hosts 3-0 in the corresponding fixture at the Emirates last week, they will need to be wary of a side that has won 14 consecutive home games in European competition and beat Roma (twice), CSKA Sofia, Celtic and AZ Alkmaar at the Aspymra Stadion in last season’s Europa Conference League. Kick-off is at 5.45pm BST but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
