The UEFA Champions League, Europe’s premier football tournament, sees Arsenal, often referred to as the Gunners, welcoming French Ligue 1 side, Lens, to their home turf, the Emirates Stadium. The premise for this Group B fixture is straight forward; a single point would secure Arsenal’s progression to the last 16 of the tournament.

Across in Turkey, the situation stands a bit more precarious for Manchester United. Reeling from a narrow 4-3 defeat against FC Copenhagen, the Red Devils must now navigate a crucial clash against Galatasaray in Istanbul. A loss would mean diminished hopes for advancing to the knockout stages of the Champions League, hence, a match they must avoid losing.

Despite heavy rains prompting a pitch inspection at the Turkish club’s venue on Wednesday, the match is set to continue as planned. United’s last encounter with Galatasaray ended in heartbreak, with a two-goal lead squandered, leading to a draw that left their Champions League future uncertain.

Both Arsenal and Manchester United carry the weight of past disappointments into their respective fixtures, not unlike Erik ten Hag’s side, another team experiencing a disappointing Champions League campaign. Each team heads into the Wednesday fixtures hoping to secure a favourable position in the unpredictable landscape of Champions League football.