Arsenal v Monaco: Champions League – live | Champions League

36 min: That’s absolutely sensational play by Lewis-Skelly, who wasn’t certain to retain possession when taking delivery of a slight hospital pass, but wriggled clear of his man with great determination, before spotting the opportunity to release Jesus. As good a goal as you’ll see all week in the Champions League.

Jesus crosses low from the left. Saka slots from six yards. He couldn’t miss. But it was all about the Champions League debutant Lewis-Skelly, who spins away from Ben Seghir in the centre circle before slipping Jesus clear with a forensic pass. Saka and Jesus go straight to Lewis-Skelly to offer their thanks. That’s a gorgeous goal.

32 min: Martinelli goes into the book for cynically bringing down an in-flight Golovin. It was one he probably had to take for the team, with Monaco countering at speed and Arsenal light at the back.

31 min: Up until those Jesus chances, Monaco had done a decent job of quietening the home crowd. But now the fans are giving it plenty again.

30 min: Arsenal’s tails are up, and now Saka dribbles hard down the right. He nearly gets past Salisu, but the defender gets enough of a challenge in to ricochet the ball off the Arsenal winger and out for a goal kick.

28 min: Another ball down the middle, and another chance for Jesus! The striker gets in ahead of Kehrer, and hammers the ball towards the bottom-right corner. Majecki sticks out a strong left hand to parry, then snaffles the rebound. Our thoughts go out to Charles Antaki.

26 min: A simple long ball down the middle nearly does for Monaco. Jesus brings it down and enters the box, one on one with Majecki in the Monaco goal. Majecki thinks about coming out to close Jesus down, but decides against it. Jesus aims a low shot across the keeper, aiming for the bottom-left corner, but the keeper adjusts to kick away. That’s a fine save.

24 min: Ødegaard has another go at a curler towards the top-right corner, this time using three Monaco defenders as a shield. This one’s always heading wide too.

22 min: Monaco snaffle the ball off the ponderous hosts and break upfield at speed. Ben Seghir, Akliouche and Embolo all involved, as the play is switched from right to left and back again. The move fizzles out on the edge of the box, but yet again the visitors show admirable ambition.

20 min: Saka gets the better of Henrique this time, romping in from the right touchline and pinging a pass to Ødegaard, on the right-hand edge of the D. Ødegaard opens his body and looks for the top-left corner, but doesn’t get enough curl on the shot. Goal kick. For the second time tonight, some lovely Arsenal build-up has been wasted by the resulting effort on goal. That won’t have been lost on Arteta, who was talking about this very thing in the pre-match interview.

18 min: Partey takes a throw in. He sends the ball straight to an opponent, allowing the visitors to break. Nothing comes of the attack, though Arsenal’s hard-won reputation as set-piece magicians is now in ruins.

17 min: Now Rice clanks a simple pass towards Martinelli out for a throw on the left. Arsenal not quite clicking yet. Monaco look pretty comfortable at the moment.

15 min: Saka gets the ball at his feet for the first time this evening … and walks it straight out of play for a throw. Henrique yet to be stress-tested in the Monaco left-back position.

13 min: Embolo goes over his ankle and stays down. Monaco want the ball put out. Arsenal eventually oblige, not that it pleases their fans. Embolo gets up to more booing. He’s fine. Booooo! Pantomime season starting early in Holloway.

11 min: Monoco press high. Raya isn’t sure how to respond so simply blooters the ball upfield in the late-80s style. Nobody up there.

9 min: Now it’s Kiwior’s turn to dawdle on the edge of his own area, and he’s dispossessed by Vanderson. The ball’s teed up for Golovin, who sends a power curler inches wide of the right-hand post. Had that been on target, Raya might not have got there in time.

8 min: Martinelli probes down the left again. He chops back but can’t get past Vanderson, who attempts to launch a counter by dribbling in the old-fashioned style up the touchline. He flashes past Martinelli but is then dragged back by Lewis-Skelly. A bit later in the match, and that might have been a booking.

6 min: Martinelli slips Merino into the box with a cute reverse pass down the inside-left channel. Merino whips a vicious low ball through the six-yard box. Jesus extends a leg but can’t connect. Any sort of touch and that was in. Fine play by Martinelli and Merino there.

5 min: Arsenal wake up as Magassa ambles around on the edge of his own box. Jesus nicks the ball off his toe, and sends Martinelli into the box down the left channel. Martinelli hits a weak shot straight into Majecki’s arms.

3 min: Monaco are winning most of the early duels. Arsenal not quite up to speed yet. On the touchline, Mikel Arteta claps his hands by way of encouragement.

1 min: Ødegaard loses the ball within nanoseconds and Monaco go on the attack. Ben Seghir has a run at the Arsenal defence, but there’s no way through. A very early sign that Monaco aren’t here simply to make up the numbers.

Arsenal get the ball rolling. A rare old noise down Ashburton Grove way.

The teams are out! Arsenal sport fetching retro US-style ‘Varsity Jackets’ (£160) as they line up for the Uefa anthem. Underneath, their famous red shirts with equally storied white sleeves. Monaco in second-choice bottle green. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes. In the meantime, Charles Antaki would like to offer as much pre-match optimism as he can muster: “Gabriel Jesus on from the start. Hmm. A certain twitchiness is starting to be discernible amongst Arsenal fans about Jesus; early deliveries have dried up and not been replaced by anything much. You wonder whether Arteta starting him in a Champions League match might be a matter of giving him enough rope.”

The two early matches have finished. Here are the results …

… and so the supertable now looks like this. Arsenal drop a couple of places to 12th, having been leapfrogged by both of the early-evening winners.

Here’s what Arsenal are facing tonight. “Multinational acquisitions have helped Monaco and their coach, Adi Hütter, create a physical and intense team with flair in the attacking third,” writes Will Unwin, who swanned down to the Côte d’Azur so you don’t have to.

Mikel Arteta speaks to TNT Sports. “Myles Lewis-Skelly has done really well for us and deserves a chance … we are really buzzing to see one of our own in a big match like this playing for us … it is a really tough match … Monaco have been in great form … some great results … now is the moment to capitalise at home … we have two games at home … let’s do it tonight … they are very strong attacking and defending … they prepare every throw, every free kick … there are a lot of clues if you want an advantage … the amount of entries we make into the box is more than every other team … a little more killing instinct … the last pass, the last action is not there … it is my job to help them … we have to have more symmetry … find the right balance … be a threat from everywhere.”

Arsenal make four changes to their starting XI following the 1-1 draw at Fulham. Mikel Merino, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Myles Lewis-Skelly are recalled, the latter making his first Champions League start, while Jurriën Timber, Leandro Trossard, Jorginho and Kai Havertz drop to the bench. Kieran Tierney is also named as a sub, and could make his first appearance for the Gunners for over 16 months.

Arsenal: Raya, Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Merino, Ødegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus.
Subs: Neto, Setford, Timber, Tierney, Robinson, Heaven, Monlouis, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Trossard, Sterling, Havertz.

Monaco: Majecki, Vanderson, Kehrer, Seghir, Golovin, Akliouche, Caio Henrique, Camara, Salisu, Embolo, Magassa.
Subs: Kohn, Lienard, Teze, Matazo, Minamino, Ouattara, Ilenikhena, Michal, Nibombe, Tincres.

Referee: Davide Massa (Italy)
VAR: Daniele Chiffi (Italy)

Arsenal are looking for the win that would catapult them into the top eight of the Champions League mega-table. So are Monaco, who have already taken one big scalp in this campaign in the form of Barcelona. This could be a cracker, then. Kick-off is at 8pm GMT. It’s on!