Harry Kane silences the Etihad Stadium in the first leg (Picture: Getty Images)
Arsenal’s season is at the crossroads and a crunch Champions League encounter with Bayern Munich in Germany could go a long way to determining the outcome.
The Gunners travel to Bavaria knowing they must drastically improve on Sunday’s dispiriting display in the 2-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa if they are to advance to the semi-finals in Europe.
Mikel Arteta’s team gained a reputation for being chokers when they blew a late lead in last year’s Premier League title race and they are once again showing signs that the pressure is taking its toll.
Bayern did a professional job at the Emirates last Tuesday even though they did not have any support as their fans were banned from attending.
But a full house in Munich will deliver the most passionate support to Thomas Tuchel’s team, who will be driven to succeed after relinquishing their Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.
The tie is balanced on a knife edge after the 2-2 draw in the first leg and Arsenal will feel the heat in the Allianz Arena cauldron with the opening goal potentially being a pivotal moment towards the outcome.
If the Londoners get their noses in front they may quieten some of the home fervour but if they concede first it will take a Herculean effort to get back into the reckoning.
It cannot have come as a shock to anyone with even a passing interest in football that Harry Kane returned from an ankle injury to haunt the Gunners by scoring in the first leg.
Gabriel Martinelli can find the net for the Gunners (Picture: Getty Images Europe
The former Tottenham striker has now scored 15 times in 20 matches against his old foes and will relish the opportunity to end their run on the road to Wembley by scoring again and pushing Bayern towards the final on June 1.
The England captain is 4/1 with Paddy Power, Betfair, BoyleSports and Sky Bet to break the deadlock and 6/5 with bet365 to find the net at any time while Gabriel Martinelli is 10/3 with Sky Bet to notch for Arsenal. A 2-1 Bayern victory is 9/1 with William Hill.
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