Vitoria vs Arsenal preview: Team news and stats ahead of Europa League clash

Team news, key stats and predictions ahead of Vitoria vs Arsenal (kick-off 3.50pm) as the Europa League group stages continue.

Team news

Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka has not travelled as part of the 18-man squad preparing to face Vitoria in the Europa League.

The Switzerland midfielder has been training since Gunners fans booed him while leaving the pitch after a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace on October 27, but did not make the squad for the Carabao Cup defeat at Liverpool or Premier League draw with Wolves.

• Europa League tables
• Europa League fixtures | results

Xhaka joins David Luiz, Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in not making the trip to Portugal as Arsenal bid to reach the knockout stages if they win and Standard Liege do not beat Frankfurt.

Reiss Nelson has recovered from a knee injury and has been named in the squad.

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Opta stats

• Vitoria have only won one of their eight previous meetings with English sides in all competitions (D3 L4), beating Aston Villa 1-0 in September 1983.
• Arsenal have only won one of their seven away games against Portuguese sides (D3 L3), though it was their last such match at Sporting in last season's Europa League.
• Vitoria are looking to avoid four consecutive defeats in all European competitions for the first time since September 1998.
• Arsenal are looking to win their first four group stage games in a Europa League or Champions League campaign for just the second time, winning their first five in the 2005-06 Champions League.
• Gabriel Martinelli has scored in both of his Europa League matches for Arsenal this season. The only player to score in each of his first three games in major European competition for the Gunners was Marouane Chamakh in 2010.

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Charlie Nicholas' prediction

This game has been moved to a 3.50pm on Wednesday - is this to spare our blushes? I don't know what is going on with Arsenal at the moment. I could pin the hopes on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe, who must start to get going by the way, but I am not sure it would do me any good.

Mesut Ozil is back in the team as he got himself fit and has featured in their last two matches, playing well in those. I am a fan of Dani Ceballos but I am not sure where to play him. If Ozil is in, he is out - Ceballos is a bit frantic in the domestic set up where he is harried, but he is made for European nights. He must play closer to the front three.

Ozil is nice, deliberate and takes his time so you can see why he has worked his way into the team. Hector Bellerin is fit, but you can see and understand why Unai Emery hasn't played him much yet. He struggles to get his feet going and he is struggling to get his pace back into his game. Rob Holding and Hector Bellerin will play, but I am not sure what else he will do.

Pepe will start and I would play Joe Willock and Bukayo Saka. Arsenal will win, but it is a bad time for them at the moment. The only positive is that young players will play and that will get them over the line, but I am not happy with what I am seeing at the moment.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 0-2 (11/1 with Sky Bet)

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