And there’s the breakthrough! Rice slips in Timber on the right side of the area, who whips a ball into the six-yard box, where Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli are waiting, and it’s the Brazilian who gets in to tap home.

6 min: Arsenal are dominating these early exchanges, pinning Sporting back...

3 min: An early yellow card for Sporting’s Diomande for a clumsy challenge, and he’s got a long night ahead on a booking.

We’re underway.

The famous Champions League soundtrack plays, but it is being drowned out by the most deafening noise from the home support. A fantastic atmosphere tonight.

A reminder of tonight’s line-ups in Lisbon:

Sporting XI: Israel, St Juste, Inacio, Diomande, Araujo, Morita, Quenda, Hjulmand, Edwards, Gyokeres, Trincao.

Subs: Kovacevic, Callai, Reis, Harder, Catamo, Fresneda, Braganca, Esgaio, Brito, Simoes, Monteiro, Couto.

Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz.

Subs: Neto, Setford, Tierney, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Merino, Jorginho, Sterling, Nwaneri, Trossard, Jesus.

Ruben Amorim’s successor at Sporting, Joao Pereira, said this week: “Before the game against Manchester City, the players were already thinking that they could reach the play-offs. The victory against City is a morale booster, but it only gives us three points. Against Arsenal it’s a little different. I think we’re ready.”

Sporting, who thrashed Manchester City 4-1 in their last outing, are enjoying an outstanding campaign, remaining unbeaten in second place with 10 points.

Arteta acknowledged the Portuguese champions pose a major challenge for Arsenal but also offer an opportunity for a morale-boosting triumph.

“The run they are on is incredible, which tells you it’s not only about their qualities but their ambition and the team energy they have. That’s the great challenge we have,” he said.

“To come here tomorrow, make a statement, and show that we are capable against this kind of opponent by being ourselves and winning the game.”

“It’s certainly something we have to improve. We have the right steps, and looking back at the way we played against Inter, we dominated the game and should have won,” Arteta told a news conference on Monday.

“But the reality is you have to make it happen, and we didn’t. Those steps are what we need to take next - be ruthless and much more efficient in the opposition box.

“We wanted to be higher (in the standings), but it’s the position we are in right now.

“We have to play in a way that’s going to give us a chance to win the game and fight to do it as quickly as possible. Tomorrow we have a great opportunity to do that.”

Arsenal need to be ruthless to secure a win against Sporting and snap their negative run of form away from home in the Champions League, manager Mikel Arteta said ahead of tonight’s clash.

Winless in their last four European outings, Arsenal arrive in Portugal following a 1-0 defeat against Inter Milan at San Siro earlier this month.

Arteta’s side currently sit 12th in the new Champions League 36-team format, where the top eight teams qualify automatically for the last 16 and the next 16 enter a two-legged playoff to join them.

The Spaniard acknowledged that improving their away form is key to his team’s chances in Europe’s top-tier club competition.