Arsenal have conceded six goals in their last four matches in all competitions
Sporting had 11 shots in their first-leg defeat to the Gunners.
Recommended bet: Both teams to score
Arsenal are on the brink of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League for the second successive season, with the Premier League leaders holding a first-leg lead over Sporting.
The Gunners were not at their best in Portugal last week, but managed to grab a late winner in Lisbon to lead 1-0.
That Kai Havertz goal at the Jose Alvalade Stadium could be crucial in the battle to make the last four, with home advantage having been key for Mikel Arteta’s men this season.
Arsenal have won all five of their European fixtures on home soil, but they will be tested by a Sporting team who have quality going forward.
The latest Arsenal vs Sporting odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Team News
Arsenal have several injury concerns to contend with, as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber are all doubtful.
All four missed the 2-1 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend and Arteta will make a late decision on their availability, especially with a crunch game at Manchester City on Sunday.
The Gunners are definitely missing Mikel Merino, due to a foot injury, but Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapie are back quicker than expected.
Sporting’s main attacking threat, Luis Suarez, is available to feature at the Emirates following an administrative error.
It was originally thought that the Colombian, who has five goals and two assists in this season’s competition, was suspended but that is not the case.
The visitors will be without two squad players though, with Luis Guilherme and Fotis Ioannidis both sidelined by injury.
The stats
There were 19 shots in the first-leg, with nine of those efforts on target (five for Sporting and four for Arsenal).
Sporting have scored 73 goals in 28 Primeira Liga matches this term – an average of 2.60 per game.
A 4-1 win at Tottenham in February was the last time Arsenal scored more than two goals in a game.
Gabriel Martinelli is Arsenal’s top goalscorer in Europe this season, with the Brazilian scoring six times in 10 appearances.
There was just one yellow card in last week’s first leg, with Sporting midfielder Hidemasa Morita picking up that caution.
Arsenal (ninth) have had 167 goal attempts in 11 Champions League games, while Sporting (14th) have recorded 150.
The latest Arsenal vs Sporting odds are available on LiveScore Bet
Prediction
The hosts have clearly had their confidence dented by recent domestic results and although they are still strong favourites to progress, they cannot afford to take their eye off the ball.
Arteta has been criticised for making too many changes in recent weeks and now faces a huge dilemma, with a ‘title-decider’ coming up this weekend.
Saturday’s defeat to Bournemouth was their first home loss in eight in all competitions, but it was a third defeat in their last four matches.
Although Sporting are not as strong on the road as they are at home, highlighted by just one win in four away games in this season’s competition.
It has to be taken into account though that they had four tough trips in the league format, facing Napoli, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Athletic Bilbao.
Rui Borges’s men scored in all four of those matches – six goals in total – and will feel they can find the net again on Tuesday night.
