Arsenal head into their Europa League encounter with Qarabag FK looking to extend their winning streak to seven matches in all competitions.
Qarabag play host to the Premier League side having suffered defeat to Sporting Lisbon in their opening game in Group E, leaving the Azerbaijani outfit with work to do in order to qualify for the knockout stages.
Qarabag FK
© Reuters
Qarabag have been regulars in European competition since 2009, but the Horsemen are still waiting to break new ground by progressing through to the knockout stages of the Champions League or Europa League.
However, this is a club which continues to pick up experience on the biggest stages and it is unlikely to be long before they find themselves taking on some of European football's elite after the halfway point in the season.
Whether that occurs in this campaign remains to be seen with both Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon present in their group, but last year's period in the Champions League would have only whetted the appetite of everyone associated with the club.
Qarabag inevitably finished bottom in a group involving Roma, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, but two draws against the Spanish giants showed that the club should no longer be considered as European minnows.
Manager Gurban Gurbanov deserves credit for ensuring that his side maintained their motivation to qualify for this competition, having missed out in the Champions League third qualifying round in a winnable tie against BATE Borisov in August.
The defeat at Sporting Lisbon has also sparked an improvement in their domestic form, with Qarabag netting nine times in their last three outings in Azerbaijan's top flight.
Gurbanov's key man is Innocent Emeghara who has started the season with four goals in five games, with the Switzerland international scoring three of those goals in his last two outings.
Former Birmingham City midfielder Michel also remains an important part of the squad, but it will take a collective effort from Qarabag if they are to achieve anything from Thursday's match.
Recent form: L
Recent form (all competitions): WWLWWW
Arsenal
© Reuters
Arsenal supporters would have been disappointed to be spending a second season in European football's secondary competition, but it arguably gives the club another much-needed year out of the spotlight to help Emery bed in his new squad.
The long-term goal will be to become a major force in the Champions League, and the Europa League offers Arsenal a chance to return to the top table with victory in this tournament, as well as being able to place the necessary attention on claiming a spot in the first four in the Premier League.
New manager Unai Emery has already used 21 different players across eight matches in all competitions, signalling that the Spaniard is aware that he must make full use of his squad throughout this campaign if the club is to achieve its goals.
The rotation will continue against Qarabag, and Danny Welbeck will be looking to continue a scoring run which has left the England international as the club's joint top goalscorer in all competitions with four strikes.
The contribution of Welbeck comes at a time when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is failing to reproduce his form from the second half of last season, but Emery could view this competition as a way of getting the Gabon international back on the scoresheet on a regular basis.
That occurred against FC Vorskla as the frontman netted twice in a 4-2 triumph over the Ukrainian side, but Emery's biggest issue after that game would have been his team's lack of focus at the back.
However, shipping two late goals has proven to be a blessing in disguise, with Arsenal keeping back-to-back clean sheets in the Premier League against Everton and Watford.
The Gunners are still showing a certain level of vulnerability when put under pressure but having recorded seven successive triumphs since August 25, Emery and his squad can be nothing but confident ahead of the long trip to Baku.
Recent form: W
Recent form (all competitions): WWWWWW
Team News
© Reuters
Arsenal will be without Henrikh Mkhitaryan for Thursday's fixture, with the playmaker absent due to the ongoing political conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Bernd Leno is likely to feature between the sticks due to a hamstring injury sustained by Petr Cech, but the likes of Hector Bellerin and Shkodran Mustafi could be rested having played every minute in the Premier League this season.
Sead Kolasinac could be given a start at left-back, while both Mohamed Elneny and Matteo Guendouzi are in contention to be named in the centre of the park.
Danny Welbeck should feature in place of Aubameyang or Alexandre Lacazette, with Emile Smith-Rowe and Eddie Nketiah taking a place on the substitutes' bench.
Sokratis Papastatopoulos may be brought back into the team having missed the last two games through injury.
Michel did not feature in the opening game, but the Spaniard could return for the visit of the English club.
Qarabag FK possible starting lineup:
Vagner; Medvedev, Rzezniczak, Huseynov, Guerrier; Qarayev, Diniyev; Medetov, Michel, Zoubir; Emeghara
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Leno; Lichtsteiner, Holding, Sokratis, Kolasinac; Elneny, Guendouzi; Iwobi, Ramsey, Aubameyang; Welbeck
Head To Head
Thursday's encounter will represent the first time that these two clubs have met in a competitive match.
Arsenal are yet to face any opposition from Azerbaijan, but Qarabag are no strangers to taking on teams from the Premier League.
Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have prevailed 1-0 and 4-0 respectively at Qarabag since 2015, while the reverse fixtures have ended 3-1 and 6-0 to the two London sides.
We say: Qarabag FK 1-3 Arsenal
Emery will inevitably make changes for the long trip to Azerbaijan, but few players have not contributed in some form this season and we expect whatever team that Emery selects to be able to come through against Azerbaijan's top club.
Darren Plant
