Team News

Arsenal's Injury and Availability Update

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is likely to make many changes in this Champions League match because the team has already qualified for the knockout stages.

However, there are several players who won't be able to play or are still uncertain ahead of the game:

Unavailable / Out

William Saliba – He missed training and is out due to a small injury.

Arteta is keeping him rested to make sure he's fit for the next league matches.

Jurrien Timber – He also missed training and is definitely out because of injury issues.

Declan Rice: –He has a suspension from accumulating yellow cards in Champions League games.

Mikel Merino – He is also suspended after picking up bookings.

Doubts / Rotation Picks

Kai Havertz: He is still recovering and might come on as a substitute in the second half.

Riccardo Calafiori: He trained and is available, but might be used carefully to stay fit.

Kairat Almaty Team News

Kairat arrive in London aiming to finish their European campaign with pride. Their group stage run has been challenging, with tough matches against elite competition, but they enter this fixture looking to test themselves and gain valuable experience.

Kairat Injuries / Squad Concerns

Azamat Tuyakbayev – Unavailable (chest injury; excluded from the squad).

Dastan Satpayev – Doubtful (thigh issue; monitored closely).

Olzhas Baybek – Doubtful (minor muscle concern).

Defensive Options – Kairat may be missing some defensive starters, which could impact shape and chemistry.

Lineups

Arsenal team news

Team to play Kairat: Kepa; White, Mosquera, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly; Norgaard, Eze, Havertz; Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli

Subs: Setford, Porter, Gabriel, Salmon, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Ibrahim, Odegaard, Bailey-Joseph, Saka, Trossard, Jesus

Predicted Starting XIs – Arsenal vs Kairat (UCL 2026)

Arsenal (4-3-3) – Predicted XI

Kairat Almaty (4-5-1) – Predicted XI

ℹ️ Lineup Note

Arsenal vs Kairat  Training Gallery

January 28, 2026 • Emirates Stadium • UEFA Champions League

Training Session

Team Preparation

Squad Build-up

Final Preparations

Squad Build-up

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Pre-Match Show

Live Match

Arsenal vs Kairat live match tracker provides real-time score, interactive graphs, possession stats, shot maps, and minute-by-minute Champions League updates.

GOAL! Arsenal 3-2 Kairat Almaty (Ricardinho, 90+4')

What a moment for the Kazakh side. They end their Champions League campaign with a goal in front of their fans.

Ricardinho heads home at the far post after a cross from the left.

GOAL GIVEN! Arsenal 3-1 Kairat Almaty (Martinelli, 37')

TURNS OUT, HAVERTZ AND MARTINELLI WERE ONSIDE!

Gyokeres' inability to convert from two yards out turned out to be the perfect assist!

Martinelli won't score an easier goal in his life!

GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Kairat Almaty (Havertz, 16')

A GOAL ON HIS RETURN!

He's looking sharp alright!

A long ball over the right hand side is towards Havertz and Gyokeres.

There's a covering defender but he's barged out the way by Gyokeres, allowing for Havertz to cut inside.

The German goes across the penalty area and finishes high into the net!

What a moment for the German, who has suffered from so many injury issues recently.

GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Kairat Almaty (Jorginho pen, 6')

Easy for Jorginho who tucks the ball past Kepa into the opposite corner.

The away fans go ballistic. What a moment for them!

GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Kairat Almaty (Gyokeres, 2')

A FAST START INDEED!

It's so easy for Arsenal as Eze finds Havertz with a nice ball in the centre circle. 

The German then slips Gyokeres in behind and he beats the offside trap.

He just about gets the ball out of his feet, ignores the run of Martinelli outside him and blasts home.

Summary

Arsenal 3-2 Kairat Almaty: Post-Match Analysis

Arsenal won 3-2 against Kairat Almaty in their last UEFA Champions League group game at the Emirates Stadium on January 28, 2026. This win helped them finish with a perfect 8 wins in 8 games, a +19 goal difference. It was also Mikel Arteta's 200th game as manager. The win ensured Arsenal topped their group and got a seeded spot in the knockout stages. Even though the score was close, Arsenal controlled the match, creating 22 big chances and taking 25 shots, 11 of which were on target. Kairat only had 4 shots, 2 on target. However, some missed chances and a late goal made the win harder to secure.

Match Summary

• Goals:
  • Arsenal: Viktor Gyökeres (1'), Kai Havertz (14'), Gabriel Martinelli (35').
  • Kairat: Jorginho (pen, 6'), Ricardinho (90+3').
• Lineups and Changes: Arteta made 11 changes from the team that lost to Manchester United in the Premier League. He rested important players like William Saliba and Jurrien Timber because they had minor injuries, and also suspended Mikel Merino and Declan Rice. Even with these changes, the team was still very strong and dominated Kairat, who was at the bottom of the table.
• Stats Overview: Arsenal had 72% of the ball, made 812 passes compared to Kairat's 289, and created an xG of 4.2 compared to Kairat's 0.7. However, they only turned three of their many chances into goals, showing that they still have problems scoring efficiently.

Key Moments

• 1' - Gyökeres opens the scoring: Havertz's through-ball found Gyökeres, who slotted home for his 7th UCL goal this season, setting an aggressive tone.
• 6' - Kairat equalize via penalty: A VAR-awarded spot-kick was converted by Kairat's Jorginho after a foul in the box, briefly disrupting Arsenal's rhythm.
• 14' - Havertz restores the lead: The German curled in a fine finish after a solo run, marking his first goal since returning from a long-term knee injury.
• 35' - Martinelli extends the advantage: Havertz assisted Martinelli's sixth UCL goal of the campaign, effectively sealing the half.
• 90+3' - Late drama: Ricardinho's header from a rare Kairat attack added tension, but Arsenal held firm.

The first half was one-sided, with Arsenal cruising at 3-1, but the second saw complacency creep in, allowing Kairat's late consolation despite the visitors' limited threat.