Arsenal vs Shakhtar Donetsk - Champions League RECAP: Gunners earn narrow win while Aston Villa go top

Right, you know what time it is.

Yep, I am now going to be saying goodbye to you lovely folk, but don't worry I will be back tomorrow.

It's been a pleasure reporting on another crazy night of Champions League football. It always delivers.

And so does Jhon Duran as he capped off another brilliant win for Aston Villa which sees them go top of the league phase table.

Arsenal are not far behind them in fourth, but my word were they far from their best tonight. It took an own goal for them to squeak past Shakhtar Donetsk.

Anyway, we will be back in less than 24 hours as it's Liverpool and Manchester City's turn to take to the field.

Be there or be square!

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, speaking to TNT Sports:

We are playing seriously, we are playing focused, responsible and the team is progressing and mature in everything. We tried to break the press man-to-man. We conceded some things in the first 15 minutes but then reacted very well.

It is always difficult at home in Europe. We have had to try and be consistent in our gameplan for 90 minutes and I think we did that today.

On Duran's reaction to being substituted:

He [Duran] scored the goal and it was fantastic and he wanted more because he thought he could score more goals. He did very good work and the last minutes is for Watkins and keep going.

Aston Villa fans are going to love the sight of this post...

The Villans are sitting pretty at the top of the pile after the first day of matchweek three, they are the only team to have won their first three matches, so far.

It's also been a good day for Arsenal, they have lept up to fourth and remain unbeaten in the league phase.

I'm sure this may look very different after tomorrow, though.

Look away, Arsenal fans...

Any hopes that Bukayo Saka would be fit for Liverpool may have just been crushed by Mikel Arteta.

When speaking to Amazon Prime after the game, he revealed that it Is 'unlikely' that Bukayo Saka will feature against the Reds.

I mean, I was not expecting to hear that. Is he playing mind games?

Arteta also shared that hasn't trained yet since returning from England, which is also a little surprising based on the messaging he had previously given.

Oh well, I guess we will have to wait and see.

Not the emphatic riposte to defeat Mikel Arteta would have envisaged, but a victory nonetheless for Arsenal.

Job done - but that’s as much as can be said, really. But it should have been far more comfortable than this

Of course, Arteta will argue that a win is a win. He is right, of course. Arsenal are firmly on track for qualification into the Champions League group stages thanks to this victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Yet the manner of this triumph will have done little to inject pangs of fear towards Merseyside ahead of Sunday’s clash against Liverpool.

Chris Sutton, It's All Kicking Off! co-host, on BBC Radio 5 Live:

That will have been frustrating for Mikel Arteta. Going into the game it was about responding from the loss against Bournemouth.

Defensively we have praised them for a number of seasons, I remember having the goalkeeper debate between Aaron Ramsdale and David Raya. Raya has won that hands down. Once again he got them out of trouble.

It's a positive result and they've had a good start to the Champions League campaign.

Arsenal just don't seem to lose at home in the Champions League.

I told you earlier that the Gunners hadn’t lost a home game in the group/league stage of the Champions League since 2015.

Well, that statistic still stands.

They are now 10 games unbeaten at the Emirates in the competition And their run of clean sheets in those nine wins continues too.

Truly impressive, I must say.

Aston Villa's John McGinn, speaking to TNT Sports:

It is amazing. Obviously, I missed out on the last night here at Villa Park (the win against Bayern Munich) but three games in, three wins and most important for us is no goals conceded.

We don't want to stop here. It puts us in a great position. Some players came back and now we look really strong. What we are building here is amazing.

This is home for me. It is my seventh season here, we've had ups and downs. It has been a rollercoaster. Hopefully, we can keep climbing.

Aston Villa really are in dreamland.

If you had told Villa fans that their side would be top of the Champions League table after three games, they would have laughed in your face.

But now they are laughing because of enjoyment.

Unai Emery's side are flying. They have three wins from there now and are still yet to concede in the competition.

Once again they were superb today and well worth their victory, they really controlled the game after half-time.

At this rate, Villa won't even need the play-offs to qualify.

Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal forward, speaking to Amazon Prime:

[Winning] is the most important thing. We came here to win the game and we did it. We wanted to score more but we won and that's the most important thing.

[Trossard] could have scored the penalty but we are behind him and know his quality and I'm sure he's going to play well in the next game.

[It] doesn't matter if it was my goal on an own goal. The most important thing is the win so we're really happy. It's tricky because we've lost some players but we know our qualities.

It's tough to play in the CL and we didn't have a good result in the last game in the Premier League so we came here to have a good result and we did it.

Full-time scores in the Champions League:

• AC Milan 3-1 Club Brugge
• Monaco 5-1 Red Star Belgrade
• Arsenal 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
• Aston Villa 2-0 Bologna
• Girona 2-0 Slovan Bratislava
• Juventus 0-1 Stuttgart
• PSG 1-1 PSV
• Real Madrid 5-2 Borussia Dortmund
• Sturm Graz 0-2 Sporting

The injuries are really starting to rack up for Arsenal...

Riccardo Calafiori was forced off in the second half as he went over awkwardly on his knee.

Looking at these screengrabs, it does not look too good, does it?

Arsenal fans will be holding their breath as they already have Jurrien Timber out and William Saliba suspended for the weekend.

If Calafiori is indeed injured, it will be another massive blow.

David Raya has proved yet again why he is paid the big bucks.

For the majority of the game, the Spaniard barely had to move from his area, he was just chilling.

However, as Shakthar built a head of steam, all of a sudden he was called into action with regularity.

But he did not let his side down.

Those pair of saves at the end could prove crucial in their Champions League group stage campaign.

There we go. Arsenal get over the line but, in the end, they needed Raya’s heroics and a bit of time-wasting to make sure of it. Had they taken their hoard of chances in the first-half it wouldn’t have been necessary.

Arsenal hold on... just!

The Gunners really made it hard for themselves, but they get the job done and remain unbeaten in the Champions League group phase.

Shakhtar Donetsk can leave the English capital with their heads held high, they were brilliant today and arguably unlucky to leave with nothing.

Three wins from three for Aston Villa!

The Unai Emery wrecking ball just keeps on demolishing everything in its path in Europe.

Aston Villa maintain their 100 per cent record in the Champions League and are still yet to concede a goal.

Another memorable night for the Villans.

Ohhhh, so close to an equaliser...

Shakhtar Donetsk come forward again and the ball is sent toward Marlon Gomes in the area.

But the substitute can't get a head on the ball and shoulders it into the gloves of David Raya.

That may just be that...

David Raya comes up trumps when Arsenal need him most!

Pedrinho unleashes a superb strike toward the bottom corner from distance and the Emirates holds its breath.

The ball is flying like an arrow but Raya leaps across to turn it around the post.

A superb stop that may just win the Gunners the game.

You can tell Arsenal are in ‘seeing the game out’ mode. The Gunners win a corner and Declan Rice ambles over to the ball as though on a morning stroll, gets to it, picks it up, then turns back and starts walking away from the corner flag to chat to a team-mate, before eventually shuffling over to take it while the referee gives a few frustrated blasts of his whistle and waves him along. Needs must, I suppose.

It was written in the stars, wasn't it?

Real Madrid have just done what they always do - deliver when they really need to.

Lucas Vazquez and Vinicius Jnr have completed the turnaround and the champions have got the job done.

They are inevitable.

Leandro Trossard looks pretty downbeat as he is replaced, I bet the penalty is going over and over in his head.

Joprginho comes on in his place as Mikel Arteta looks to sure up at the back.

That substitution causes a mass exodus from the crowd, the home fans have seen enough.

It's groans galore at the Emirates.

The Arsenal fans are moaning more than cheering at the moment due to the number of times their team are giving the ball away.

The Gunners have not been good at all in this second half, compared to the first at least.

Shakhtar Donetsk are suddenly full of beans, they think they can get something here.

Heorhii Sudakov senses blood and goes for goal, but he completely miscues his effort and it brings ironic cheers from the crowd.

Huge cheers as the referee trundles over the VAR monitor and awards Arsenal a penalty for handball. The delay gives the fans in front of the press box a perfect time window to take out their phones and prepare the cameras to record Trossard step up and… miss it as phones are quietly shoved back into their pockets.

Oh my word, Dmytro Riznyk has svaed it!

Leandro Trossard opts to go to the keeper's left but he guesses the right way.

Shakhtar Donetsk are somehow still in this match and its redemption for their goalkeeper. Unbelievable.

Actually, In take my last comments back.

It's definitely a penalty, Bondar holds his arm out and even tenses it before the ball hits him.

The referee doesn't take long to come to as decision and points to the spot.

Leandro Trossard will take...

Ohhh, this would be so harsh...

VAR has told the referee to got to the screen after the ball hits Bondar on the arm.

It looks quite close to his body, surely this can't be given.

There is growing unrest at the Emirates, you can feel it amongst the crowd.

The Hosts have not taken their chances and somehow Shakhtar Donetsk are still in this game.

As the minutes go by, the Arsenal fans get more nervous. they want that second.

Speak of the devil...

Riccardo Calafiori has been struggling the last few minutes and now his night is at its end.

He hobbles off and is replaced by the youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly.

However, the full-back is not allowed on instantly due to an earring. Never seen that before.

James Sharpe, Mail Sport, at the Emirates:

Not the best audition just now by Calafiori for replacing Saliba in central defence at the weekend. Tries to bring the ball out of defence but gets caught in possession by Eguinaldo on the edge of the Arsenal area.

Thankfully, Merino – whose name caused a stir in the press box earlier as he’d been put up for pre-match press only to be named by Arteta on the bench – swooped around to spare any blushes.

Jhon Duran has only gone and done it again!

The boy just can't keep his name out of the headlines, can he?

Morgan Rogers does brilliantly on the left-hand side and whips the ball into the middle seeking Duran.

He finds him and then the striker gets low to volley home and send Villa Park crazy again.

It's his last action of the game too, unbelievable.

How do they always do it?

Real Madrid have just scored twice in two minutes to level things up against Borussia Dortmund. Incredible.

Antonio Rudiger grabbed the first before Vinicius Jnr got the Bernabeu rocking just moments later.

Can they go on and win it? I suspect so...

The Villa fans enjoyed that one and so did the scoreboard operator who accidentally put 3-0 on the big screen, with John McGinn scoring each three.That cued huge cheers from the home support and even a smile from Unai Emery.

Shakhtar Donetsk are certainly growing in confidence now.

That one chance has shown both them and Arsenal that this game is far from over.

The Emirates is now silent as the visitors play keep ball...

Super John McGinn delivers for Aston Villa!

The captain returns in style for the hosts as he whips a free-kick all the way into the far corner.

He wasn't aiming for the net, but there is no way that he will care one bit.

Villa Park erupts, what a noise!

A warning sign for Arsenal!

The Gunners are sloppy at the back, give the ball away, and Eguinaldo nearly punishes them.

However, Gabriel foes enough to get a block in as the forward bears down on goal.

A huge stop.

Arsenal are huffing and puffing with all their might, but that second goal still evades them.

Leandro Trossard really doesn't have his shooting boots with him tonight, he fires wide yet again.

Just not his night, so far.

James Sharpe, Mail Sport, at the Emirates:

Almost another calamity for Riznyk in the Shakhtar goal, who collects the ball under what seems little pressure only for Martinelli to scamper after him like a trufflehound and put him under pressure leaving the goalkeeper back-peddling in a cold sweat. To his credit, though, he pulls off a fine save to deny Martinelli soon after.

My word, Gabriel Martinelli is hunting the ball like a dog.

The Brazilian chases down Dmytro Riznyk in goal and forces him into a mistake. It's superb pressing.

He is then involved moments later as he tries to bend the ball into the far corner.

But Riznyk does well to get across and foil him.

Will this goal ever come for Aston Villa?

The hosts nearly start the second half in style as the ball is headed back to Leon Bailey in the area.

It falls brilliantly for the winger, but he can only guide his strike wide of the mark.

A big chance that.

The teams are back out and both have made some changes.

Unai Emery has opted to bring on Ross Barkley for Amadou Onana, not a bad switch.

Meanwhile, the visitors bring off Riccardo Orsolini, with Jens Odgaard replacing him.

Now that is cheeky, Riccardo Calafiori.

The Italian produces a brilliant half-turn to get Arsenal on the attack and it nearly brings a goal.

The ball is worked out to Gabriel Martinelli, who spots Leamndro Trossard at the back post.

Martinelli bends it the Belgian's way, but he can't turn the ball home.

Mikel Arteta has decided to make a change at the break.

Mikel Merino is on for the Gunners and he replaces Ben White who was on a yellow card.

I assume that means there will be a formation change... Maybe Thomas Partey will slot in at right-back?

Anyway, we are back underway again.

Arsenal probably won't be that happy in the dressing room as I type this.

Yes, they are winning, but this game should already be over. The Gunners have missed some huge chances.

Gabriel Jesus' opportunity before the end of the half was huge, I'm not quite sure how he didn't score.

The Brazilian really is lacking in confidence at the moment.

Chris Sutton, It's All Kicking Off! co-host, on BBC Radio 5 Live:

With the nature of how Shakhtar Donetsk have started this Champions League campaign, they don't carry too much of a threat to Arsenal.

They don't look good enough to play through Arsenal when they're in their 4-4-2 formation. If Arsenal get another goal I can't see Shakhtar scoring two.

Half-time scores in the Champions League:

• AC Milan 3-1 Club Brugge (FT)
• Monaco 5-1 Red Star Belgrade (FT)
• Arsenal 1-0 Shakhtar Donetsk
• Aston Villa 0-0 Bologna
• Girona 1-0 Slovan Bratislava
• Juventus 0-0 Stuttgart
• PSG 0-1 PSV
• Real Madrid 0-2 Borussia Dortmund
• Sturm Graz 0-1 Sporting CP

You can't get much unluckier than that, can you?

There isn't really much Dmytro Riznyk could have done about that goal, well, other than save it before it hits the post.

But that's me being very harsh.

Gabriel Martinelli won't care, though. His effort led to the goals that has Arsenal taking all three points, as it stands.

James Sharpe, Mail Sport, at the Emirates:

Somehow it’s only 1-0 at the break. As dominant a first 45 minutes as you’ll see, at times it felt like an attack-versus-defence training ground exercise.

Arsenal created so many openings but a mixture of snatched finishes and last-gasp blocks means there’s just one goal in it.

It's still goalless at Villa Park.

Both sides have had their moments, but the cutting edge has been lacking in the West Midlands.

Let's hope for goals in the second half.

There is a smattering of applause as the half comes to an end.

It's not been Arsenal at their best, but they deservedly lead after Gabriel Martinelli's low strike went into the net off Dmytro Riznyk.

It's hard to see the visitors coming back into this based on that display.

Wonderful moment as Tyrone Mings comes out to warm up to a massive ovation from the Villa fans and some of his teammates, with the likes of Lucas Digne and Ollie Watkins joining in with the applause.

The fact this is still just 1-0 is absolutely crazy!

Arsenal win the ball high up the pitch and Kai Havertz slips in Gabriel Jesus into the area.

You just expect the net to bulge, but the striker can only find the feet of Dmytro Riznyk.

His goal drought continues...

James Sharpe, Mail Sport, at the Emirates:

Ironic cheers from the home support as David Raya eases himself up off his deckchair to claim a timid shot, or maybe it was a cross, from just inside the box. Only his fifth touch of the game so far. Not enough to get the gloves dirty but nice to stay involved, at least.

How is it not 2-0??

The Emirates are stunned, and so am I. Gabriel Jesus heads the ball back to Kai Havertz who has the goal at his mercy.

But the forward can't quite get his head to the ball, I'm really not sure how.

A big chance goes begging.

Ohhhh, hello?

Borussia Dortmund are enacting their revenge on Real Madrid for the Champions League final loss in June.

Out of nowhere, Donyell Malen and Jamie Byroe-Gittens have netted twice in a matter of minutes at the Bernabeu.

Los Blancos have not lost at home in 18 months... now that record is under threat.

We have our first booking of the evening.

After a couple of fouls in a matter of minutes, the referee has handed Ben White a yellow card.

He can't really complain, in all honesty.

James Sharpe, Mail Sport, at the Emirates:

Well, it’s been coming. Arsenal have been so slick and dominant, they deserve the lead. It’ll go down as an own goal by the goalkeeper but Gabriel Martinelli takes all the credit.

He’s been toying with his full-back all game, showing him all the tricks and stepovers and eventually worked enough space to get a shot away and make the breakthrough.

Shakhtar’s manager Marino Pusic wouldn’t look out of place in the stands here in the Emirates given his attire tonight. The visiting boss is sporting a smart Stone Island sweater - a brand synonymous with London’s football community.

A pair of black chinos and white trainers completes his look. He’s beaten Arteta in the fashion stakes tonight. Yet, his team are 1-0 down. Style will only get you so far.

Right on cue...

The way this game has been going, this opener is fitting. Dmytro Riznyk is so unfortunate to give Arsenal the lead.

Gabriel Martinelli cuts inside in the area and then smashes the ball against the post.

Luckily for him, the ball then bounces off Riznyk and rolls agonisingly into the back of the net.

So, so, unlucky for the visitors.

Arsenal supporters have been urging their side on, but the team just aren't responding.

This game has been pretty flat, the hosts are really struggling to create any chances of note.

Hence the lack of any major updates...

Jhon Duran is doing everything he can to make an impact here. First, his header is kept out by Lukasz Skorupski and then he tees up Leon Bailey who is inches from getting an effort away. Whenever he gets the ball, Villa fans are shouting 'shoot!'. Bologna are struggling to cope with the big Colombian.

Aston Villa are well on top at Villa Park!

John McGinn forces the goalkeeper into a strong save and the crowd responds with a huge roar.

Jhon Duran has also had a couple of nibbles, but no goals as of yet for the usual super sub.

James Sharpe, Mail Sport, at the Emirates:

Watching William Saliba here, he’s so often the deepest outfield player and Arsenal go back to him constantly when they want to keep the ball moving.

Nearly 25 minutes in and he’s had the most touches of the ball on the pitch. That influence is hard to replace. Impossible, perhaps?

The war in Ukraine is still, of course, on many minds. Shakhtar Donetsk supporters have proudly arrived draped in their national flag and have hem across the stadium.

The presence of Ukrainian legend Andriy Shevchenko and Mykhailo Mudryk, who famously pushed for a move to Arsenal, has not gone amiss.

That's a little bit better from Arsenal.

They work the ball well up to Leandro Trossard in the area, but the Belgian can't sort his feet out to send a decent effort on goal.

I must admit, Trossard's usual clinical edge has not been present in recent weeks.

This is not going all the hosts' way at all.

Shakhtar Donetsk are trying to cause them problems on the counter-attack and the Arsenal fans sound a little nervous.

The promising start has faded away.

Bukayo Saka’s absence will raise further concerns with Liverpool on the horizon. He hamstring injury isn’t serious but his continued non selection will set tongues wagging ahead of Sunday. Will he be fit?

James Sharpe, Mail Sport, at the Emirates:

Such is Arsenal’s commitment to in-swinging corners, Leandro Trossard is taking them from the near side with his weaker left foot. A real throwback for Gunners fans to the days of Santi Cazorla, who used to do that back in the day to great effect.

The Emirates has become rather quiet, I must say.

It's probably because their team is not providing them with too much excitement, so far.

The hosts are just knocking it about under little pressure at the moment.

Arsenal should be ahead, I can't believe they are not.

Riccardo Calafiori puts his hands to his head after he misses from just six yards out.

The ball bounces to him in acres of space following a corner and he just has to swipe it home.

But he blasts it miles over the bar.

When Arsenal are in full flow, they are beautiful to watch.

Ben White wins the ball high up the pitch and then sets his side on their way, and my word do they work the ball well.

Leandro Trossard plays a lovely reverse pass to Kai Havertz, but the German attacker can't pick anyone out in the box.

The Gunners are in confident mood.

Ooooft, now that would have been some way to start the match.

Declan Rice sneds in a dangerous inswinging corner and it looks like it may actually go straight into the net.

But just at the crucial moment, the goalkeeper manages to punch it clear.

Arsenal have come out the blocks very quickly.

Plenty of talk about unsold seats given the pricing but Villa Park is more or less full and it is a wonderful sight.

The atmosphere inside Villa Park is simply incredible yet again.

The fans still can't get enough of the Champions League, they are loving life.

There is a huge noise from the stands as the game gets underway.

The two teams huddle for the final time before kick-off.

There is then a chant of 'Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal' before the action gets underway.

Not the most creative song, I must say...

Oh, aren't Champions League nights just fantastic.

The noise inside the Emirates is superb as the two teams arise from the tunnel but it then falls silent as the Champions League anthem starts.

As soon as it ends, there is a huge roar as the crowd tries to pump up the Gunners.

What they have managed to do is fire me up... and I'm not even playing.

Now I know why Gabriel Jesus is starting tonight...

Mikel Arteta has probably chosen him due to his history against Shakhtar Donetsk.

He has scored four Champions League goals against them in the past, all while at Manchester City.

Jesus even scored a hat-trick against them for City back in 2018. I'm sure the visitors are not happy to see him playing tonight.

And I'm sure he will want to add to that tally, I'm sure.

This is what we love to see.

Tyrone Mings is loving life being back out on that pitch, even if it's only the warm up.

You won't be able to wipe the smile off his face tonight... well unless Aston Villa lose.

Alan Shearer, former Newcastle striker, on Amazon Prime:

One of the choices that [Arteta] had would have been Sterling, he went off when the sending off happened [against Bournemouth], and whether he was going to give him another chance tonight or not but he's gone for Jesus and there's a big responsibility on him because of what Saka brings to this team.

The goals, his energy, and Saka rarely misses games over the season so it's a big role for Jesus to fill this season. With that back four, they'll need to be really tight again tonight and we're hoping for a good performance.

I, for one, am absolutely buzzing that Jhon Duran is starting. Of course, Ollie Watkins is Unai Emery's main man up top but Duran is in ridiculous form and deserves a crack. Given that the fixtures now come in thick and fast, expect to see a lot more of Duran.

Right guys, we are nearly there.

As I type this post, the players are going through the final minutes of their warm-ups. They will be nice and toasty now.

It's nice to see that Oleksandr Zinchenko is in high sp[irts as he faces a team from his country of Ukraine.

Raheem Sterling seems to be getting on with his team-mates too!

Marino Pusic, Shakhtar Donetsk boss, speaking to Amazon Prime:

It's tough. But facing all these challenges it makes you stronger. We are not complainers, we are fighters, we came here to compete and play. Although we need a day and a half to recover but we came here to play so let's play football.

We had a very short period to prepare ourselves for this game because we had an away game and we travelled approximately eight-and-a-half hours near the Polish border. Every game for us is an away game. We try to create some home feeling in Lviv but's far away from a home feeling of course because there are no people in the stadium- it's created by ourselves; it has to come out of us.

It's not easy. We face many difficult moments together, we had a very tough two months in September. The hotel where we were supposed to stay, three months before it was completely destroyed and that could have been us, so it was very tough for us.

Like I always say, you have one life, you live by day and try to get the best version and enjoy the game you play. Be a child again and enjoy that game.

I hope you all read that in the voice of Gandalf!

Well, I certainly did as I thought of it, and again as I typed the subheading. I mean, it's hard not to.

Anyway, now to why I wrote it. We all know by now that Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are usually very resolute.

With all the giants they have at the back, the Gunners have become renowned for the strength of their backline.

In the Champions League this season, they have shown just how strong it really is.

Arsenal are yet to concede in the competition so far. They last kept three in a row in the competition back in 2007 under Arsène Wenger.

Will they repeat that feat this evening?

Don’t use the ‘R’ word – rotation – in front of modern head coaches. But this looks very much like it from Unai Emery, albeit to a limited degree.

No Ollie Watkins or Lucas Digne in the starting XI suggests a man with his eye on some ferocious fixtures in November and early December. Villa face Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea away from home and Juventus here in the Champions League.

This must be a weird feeling for Samuel Iling-Junior...

I mean, the winger is an Aston Villa player - he only signed for them from Juventus in the summer.

But after being sent out on loan to Bologna after just a few weeks at Villa Park, he could face his parent team tonight - he is on the bench.

Now this is pretty crazy, isn't it?

I knew Declan Rice was worth a lot, I mean, Arsenal bought him for over £100millon. Not cheap.

But still, being worth more than the entirety of Shakhtar Donetsk's midfield is pretty impressive.

Our friends at Sportscasting have used TransferMarkt to value the two squads, with Rice worth £100.8m, according to the website.

Meanwhile, Shakhtars' whole midfield is only worth £58.6m, and it contains eight players...

It will be interesting to see if Rice can back up his value tonight.

Tyrone Mings has had some of the hardest times of his life over the last year, or so.

His fight back has been long and hard, 437 days to be exact.

Last week, Mail Sport's Tom Collomosse took a deep dive into the battle Mings has been going through and what special weapon helped him fight to put those boots back on.

It's a brilliant read which is available on Mail+ for you. I highly advise you take a look at it.

Sign up to Mail+ to read and get more of the best exclusive content from our experts and columnists

I bet Tyrone Mings is over the moon right now!

Why, you ask?

Well, tonight he has been included in a matchday squad for the first time since August 2023.

He has been on an extremely long road to recovery since a serious knee injury, but the defender is finally returning.

It will be nice to see him get some minutes tonight, you just know Villa Park will give him the standing ovation he deserves.

It could be a very emotional night for Mings.

Ben White, Arsenal defender, speaking to Amazon Prime:

Of course, it was a disappointing result [against Bournemouth] but the game's come thick and fast and we're ready to put it right. It's a massive game, in every game that we're playing now, we need to keep picking up the points in every competition we're in.

To win games you need clean sheets and the boys have done so well and that edge that we've all got to try and keep that clean sheet. You see the talent that we've got and it's difficult to stay in the team because there's so much competition.

The crowd size will be very interesting tonight. Supporters were already furious at being charged up to £94 for tickets for Champions League home games.

Now there are accounts on social media of tickets for this game appearing on resale sites for as little as £25. Despite Villa’s success under Unai Emery, there are issues off the field that have unsettled supporters, and this is certainly one.

It's a big night for Gabriel Jesus!

With Martin Odegaard still absent, Mikel Arteta has given the armband to the Brazilian striker.

I must admit, I am a bit surprised. He does not exactly strike me as a leader of the pack.

But maybe he will prove me wrong tonight...

Well, well, well...

Mikel Arteta keeps teasing us that Bukayo Saka is set to return, but once again he does not make the squad.

Maybe the Spaniard just wants to make sure he is ready to face Liverpool a the weekend.

Or is his injury worse than we thought?

I'm sure the Arsenal fans are not best pleased about it, that's for sure.

Big Jhon Duran gets the start he deserves!

He replaces Ollie Watkins as one of three changes to the side that beat Fulham at the weekend.

Captain John McGinn also returns to start after injury, while Ezri Konsa also comes back in.

Happy with this, Villa fans?

The visitors have also released their line-up.

You may notice a certain Vinicius Tobias on the bench who has hit the headlines this week...

After the pain of finding out who he thought was his daughter, was someone else's (after tattooing her name on his body), he only makes the bench tonight.

My word, Mikel Arteta has gone strong!

I thought there may be a rotated team today but I couldn't have been more wrong, could I?

The Spaniard makes just two changes to the side that lost to Bournemouth on Saturday.

Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus both come in, with the latter captaining the side.

Villa are here. Emi Buendia is first out in his pristine white tracksuit top and appears to be taking a picture of a row of Champions League footballs. Each to their own.

Which stars do these shirts belong to then?

We are just five minutes away from Arsenal revealing their teamsheet for tonight, and the dressing room is giving nothing away, that's for sure.

The cleaners certainly use cutting-edge products, don't they?

My word, it's blooming shiny in there!

I have been trying to predict tonight's Arsenal starting line-up in my head, but I'll admit, I am finding it tough.

The Gunners have a huge crunch match with Liverpool on the horizon this weekend, so surely they will rest some of their biggest stars.

Well, maybe not William Saliba.

I'm expecting the defender to start this evening seeing as he will be suspended when the Reds come to town.

Martin Odegaard will also be missing as he recovers from injury, but will Bukayo Saka return to action?

He wasn't even in the squad against Bournemouth, but Mikel Arteta has claimed he is closing in on a return.

Tonight could be a chance for the likes of Ethan Nwaneri, who has been superb when he has featured this season.

In reality, though, no one truly knows what is going through Arteta's head but the man himself.

So, we will have to wait and see who he picks, won't we?

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, former Chelsea striker, speaking to BoyleSports:

As well as Manchester City and Real Madrid, I’d put Arsenal and Barcelona in my four favourites to win the Champions League this season.

I might’ve said Bayern Munich but I didn’t like how they played in losing to Aston Villa so I think it will be one of those four who lift the trophy, I really think Arsenal will go far.

Arsenal's home record in the group stage of the Champions League is incredibly impressive, I must say.

The format may have changed, but their results stay the same.

The Gunners haven’t lost a home game in the group/league stage of the competition since September 2015.

In the nine games they have played at the Emirates since, they have won eight, and drawn the other.

To make the statistic more impressive, Arsenal have not conceded in any of those eight victories.

Can they continue that streak this evening?

I am not in awe of many football clubs in the current era, but Shakhtar Donetsk are not just 'any' team.

The Ukranian side overcome adversity every time they step out on the pitch due to the war in their country.

This season has already been littered with disruption due to air raids and attacks.

Matches like tonight can provide respite for the club as they manage to get out of Ukraine.

However, it still provides their problems...

Their journey for this fixture started all the way back on Friday. Yep, it's took them three days to get to London.

They started in Kyiv, moved to Lviv, and then crossed the border into Poland. That whole debacle took two days.

From Poland, they finally managed to get on a plane to London. It's been a hard few days for the players.

The attitude they have to continue to play at the highest level is more than admirable.

Unai Emery, Aston Villa boss, speaking on Monday:

I don't want to waste my time here, that is my message. I have my own experiences in Europe. We are adapting quickly and we are showing our capacity to adapt to the competition. We can believe that we can keep doing it.

We love our football, we love our work, and we want to be successful. One of those competitions is the Champions League. I want to be in it for a long time - and it is difficult.

Sometimes you can have problems but we need some resilience. To be strong and break down those barriers. And hopefully, we will play Bologna, showing we can compete.

Aston Villa have had a dream start to life back among Europe's elite.

While it has only been two games, they currently sit in the automatic qualification spots after two wins in two games.

One of those victories will live long in the memory, won't it?

I'm sure you all know what I am talking about. That's right, their historic win over Bayern Munich at the start of the month.

It was one hell of a night and now Unai Emery's side have to continue to build on their brilliant start.

They face a Bologna side who gave Liverpool a game in matchweek two, but they ultimately lost to the Reds.

It won't be a walk in the park for the Villans, that's for sure.

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal boss, speaking on Monday:

Obviously, we want to win in any context. The reality is we made that context very difficult for ourselves. It was very difficult already with the amount of players that we had out, the schedule, and the games that we had to play, but that’s the reality.

For that game, we didn’t get away with it. We could’ve done and it would’ve been a very different narrative. The reality is we didn’t and now the context is that we have lost one game in six months. Ok, now we have to win again with the context that we have lost for the first time in six months, so let’s show it.

Defeat is part of the game, part of the sport. It happened in very specific conditions as well. Let’s move on, take that pain that we still have in the tummy, and use it for tomorrow night.

The desire is there, we want to desperately play these kinds of matches, and we know the atmosphere is going to be terrific tomorrow night so let’s produce that and earn the right to win the game.

This is certainly not a post I have written too often about Arsenal in the past year or so.

They rarely have to bounce back from a defeat, but it's what they will be looking to do today.

The manner of Saturday's defeat to Bournemouth has certainly left a bitter taste in some Arsenal fans' mouths.

I mean, I have seen tons and tons, and tons of tweets from them, they were not a happy bunch, that's for sure.

Well, tonight the Gunners are in a different competition, they will have to put the weekend behind them.

So far, they are on four points from two games in the Champions League, with a stellar win against PSG to their name.

You'd expect them to add another three points to their tally tonight against a Shakhtar Donetsk team who have been struggling his season.

But if Saturday is anything to go by, Arsenal will have to bring their A-game.

Tonight's programme of Champions League football is stacked.

While we will keep our focus on the English clubs in action, I'm assuming you may want to know who else is playing, no?

There are certainly some belters around Europe tonight, including a replay of last year's final.

So, let's have a look at what is in store:

• AC Milan 0-0 Club Brugge (latest)
• Monaco 0-0 Red Star Belgrade (latest)
• Arsenal vs Shakhtar Donetsk, 20:00 BST
• Aston Villa vs Bologna, 20:00 BST
• Girona vs Slovan Bratislava, 20:00 BST
• Juventus vs Stuttgart, 20:00 BST
• PSG vs PSG, 20:00 BST
• Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund, 20:00 BST
• Sturm Graz vs Sporting CP, 20:00 BST

Can you hear that?

It's the Champions League anthem awaiting us at 19:57 BST this evening. There aren't many better tunes on this earth.

The Champions League is well and truly back after a few weeks away, and oh man, have I missed it.

I bet Aston Villa fans have topo because their team has been flying on their return to European's elite this season.

Tonight they will be looking to make it three wins from three as they host Italian side Bologna.

However, our focus will be on Arsenal who will be desperate to put Saturday's defeat at Bournemouth behind them against Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates.

It's going to be an action-packed night - you won't want to miss a single kick with us.

So, that behind said, let's get the ball rolling, eh?