Arsenal, Spurs seek further Europa boost

AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic warming up before a Serie A match against Bologna last month. The 39-year-old Swede could become the second-oldest scorer in Europa League history if he nets against Sparta Prague today. That record is held by Dani
AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic warming up before a Serie A match against Bologna last month. The 39-year-old Swede could become the second-oldest scorer in Europa League history if he nets against Sparta Prague today. That record is held by Daniel Hestad, when he scored against Celtic in November 2015 aged 40. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

PARIS • English Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham are aiming to build on winning starts in the Europa League today, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic will look to transfer his scintillating Serie A form to the continental stage.

Smarting from their 1-0 loss at home to Leicester at the weekend, the Gunners host Dundalk in their second Group B fixture following their 2-1 victory at Rapid Vienna.

Dundalk are just the second Irish representative to reach the group stage, having equalled their maiden achievement in the 2016-17 season and that of Shamrock Rovers in 2011-12.

They lost 2-1 at home to Norway's Molde in their first game, and although their coach Filippo Giovagnoli is aware the odds are stacked against his side, they will give it a go at the Emirates.

"Arsenal have better players, better coaches and better everything than us, but this is the challenge," the Italian said. "We need to play with a lot of heart, run a lot and be a little crazy and brave."

Spurs' solid start in the Premier League has stirred up talk they could potentially end a 59-year top-flight title drought, with no team yet to truly assert themselves after a truncated pre-season.

Manager Jose Mourinho is likely to shuffle the pack as Brighton visit just three days later in the league and he has already assured Dele Alli, Davinson Sanchez and Harry Winks - all of whom were not even on the bench in their previous 1-0 win over Burnley - that they will get a chance to play at Antwerp today.

"This is the life of a big club... The boys have to be ready," the Portuguese said ahead of their Group J trip to Belgium.

Tottenham had beaten Austrian side Lask 3-0 in the opening round.

In Group H, Ibrahimovic is set to become the second-oldest scorer in Europa League history if he hits the target for AC Milan against Sparta Prague.

The former Sweden striker has already scored seven times in five games this season despite missing a handful of matches after testing positive for the coronavirus and at 39, he is just a year younger than Daniel Hestad, who currently holds the mark.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE


ANTWERP V TOTTENHAM

Singtel TV Ch110 & StarHub Ch214, tomorrow, 1.50am


ARSENAL V DUNDALK

Ch110 & Ch214, tomorrow, 3.55am

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 29, 2020, with the headline Arsenal, Spurs seek further Europa boost. Subscribe