Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Champions League Group A clash between Ludogorets Razgrad and Arsenal at the Stadion Vasil Levski in Sofia.
The hosts come into this match looking for revenge for the 6-0 drubbing they received at the hands of the Gunners in North London two weeks ago.
Arsenal, meanwhile, know that victory tonight could be enough to seal their place in the last 16 should Paris Saint-Germain also avoid defeat against Basel.
Make sure you don't miss a moment of the action courtesy of our minute-by-minute updates below.
6.45pmGood evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's Champions League Group A clash between Ludogorets Razgrad and Arsenal in Sofia! When these two sides met two weeks ago it was Arsenal who cruised to a convincing victory, eventually running out 6-0 winners in North London, so hopefully we will see another goal glut tonight as the Gunners look to book their place in the knockout stages of the competition. Before we have an in-depth look at that, though, let's take a look at the team news...
6.47pmLUDOGORETS STARTING XI: Borjan; Minev, Palomino, Moti, Natanael; Anicet, Dyakov, Cafu, Marcelinho, Wanderson; Keseru
6.47pmLUDOGORETS SUBS: Stoyanov, Cicinho, Sasha, Quixada, Plastun, Lukoki, Misidjan
6.49pmARSENAL STARTING XI: Ospina; Jenkinson, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs; Xhaka, Coquelin, Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez; Giroud
6.49pmARSENAL SUBS: Cech, Gabriel, Holding, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Iwobi
6.51pmWhat can we make of those two teams, then? Well as far as the home side are concerned, their danger man looks like being Keseru, who leads the line tonight. He did not play in the reverse fixture two weeks ago, but since that heavy defeat for Ludogorets there has been no stopping him. The forward has scoring seven times in his last three games, including a hat-trick against Dunav 2010 on Friday.
6.53pmThat form has seen him take over from Cafu as the club's leading striker right now, with the Brazilian moving over to the right wing. Ludogorets showed in the reverse at the Emirates that they have plenty of pace in their attack, and the likes of Marcelinho and Wanderson will look to get forward quickly at every available opportunity, so the Gunners will need to keep a close eye on that attacking unit if they are to avoid an upset tonight.
6.55pmLudogorets manager Georgi Dermendzhiev has opted to name an unchanged side from the one that beat Dunav 2010 5-3 on Friday, perhaps unsurprisingly considering their form since the last Arsenal game. Dyakov will captain the team in the middle of the park while Borjan is in goal instead of Stoyanov, who put in a very questionable performance against the Gunners at the Emirates. Natanael, meanwhile, is the only Ludogorets player who is currently a booking away from a suspension.
6.57pmAs for Arsenal, their headline news is that Olivier Giroud starts up front having come off the bench against Sunderland at the weekend and made an immediate impact, scoring with his first two touches. The France international has missed the majority of the campaign so far due to a mixture of suspension, injury and his involvement in Euro 2016, but he makes his first start of the season tonight and will hope to maintain that goalscoring touch from the weekend.
6.59pmIn Giroud's absence, Alexis Sanchez has flourished as the team's main striker, but the Chilean moves into a more familiar role as one of the attacking trio behind the front man this evening. Sanchez has scored eight goals in 13 appearances in all competitions this season, including two in the Champions League - one of which came against Ludogorets last time out. It will be interesting to see whether he can maintain that goal threat with Giroud now in front of him.
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7.01pmAlso on the scoresheet in the reverse of this fixture was Mesut Ozil, who capped off the rout with his first ever professional hat-trick. It was a memorable occasion for the German and he will be hoping for another successful night tonight, although you'd get long odds on his repeating his hat-trick heroics. Also in that trio behind the striker is Aaron Ramsey, who gets his first start since the opening day of the season.
7.03pmGranit Xhaka, who is currently serving a domestic ban but is eligible to play in Europe, anchors the midfield tonight alongside Coquelin, with the likes of Cazorla sidelined through injury. It is quite a defensive duo in the middle of the park, which is perhaps a nod to the threat that Ludogorets posed in the first half of their match at the Emirates last time out. The hosts have a very good scoring record this season, which I will talk about more a bit later, and Wenger seems to have acknowledged that.
7.05pmIn defence there is a rare start for Carl Jenkinson, who is back at the club after a couple of years on loan at West Ham. He fills in for the rested Hector Bellerin, but aside from that it is the same defence that played against Sunderland at the weekend, with Gibbs in for the injured Monreal and Mustafi partnering Koscielny in the middle. Behind them, Ospina is Arsenal's fifth and final change as Wenger once again rests Cech for the Champions League game.
7.07pmThat is the challenge that stands in the way of Ludogorets, then, and they could be forgiven for being a little daunted considering what happened to them against the same opposition just two weeks ago. In that match, though, they did not need a second invitation to attack and, while that ultimately played into the hands of Arsenal, it is unlikely that Ludogorets will be any less gung-ho in front of their own fans. I think we can expect some open, attacking play tonight!
7.09pmThe statistics certainly seem to indicate that there will be goals. Ludogorets are generally big scorers and they have been on fire in front of goal since the reverse fixture at the Emirates, scoring 13 goals in their last three games. That run includes back-to-back 4-0 victories and Friday's 5-3 triumph over Dunav 2010, so they come into this match in fine form. Of course, Arsenal are a significant step up in class compared to the teams that they usually face, but a win tonight would make it four in a row in all competitions for the first time this season.
7.11pmDomestically, things are going pretty well for Ludogorets so far. They are bidding for a sixth straight Bulgarian title, and they currently sit top of the table having dropped just five points from a possible 33 so far. Levski Sofia are keeping the pace and only sit second on goal difference, but they have also played a game more than Ludogorets, so the champions are very much in the driving seat. They have won their last seven matches in the league and are showing little signs of letting up.
7.13pmPerhaps unsurprisingly considering their recent form, Ludogorets are also comfortably the highest scorers in the Bulgarian league too, averaging more than three goals per game with 34 from 11 outings - 12 more than the next highest scorers. The problems for them come at the other end of the pitch, with only one team in the top five having conceded more and their tally of 12 conceded being seven more than Levski Sofia.
7.15pmOf course, they have proved that they can outscore most teams domestically, but when it comes to the Champions League things are a little different. Their 6-0 defeat to Arsenal last time out means that only Celtic have conceded more goals out of any team in the group stages, while they have also only managed to score twice at the other end of the field. Even so, when the draw was made alongside the likes of Arsenal and PSG, not many would have been expecting Ludogorets to challenge for the top two places, so third place looks to be the ceiling of their ambition.
7.17pmThe Bulgarians currently seem to be on course to finish third too, thus keeping their European adventure going in the Europa League after Christmas. They are currently level on points with Basel, but have a home tie against the Swiss outfit to come. If they do manage to finish third then it must go down as a successful campaign for a team who are making just their second appearance in the competition proper. Their past nine games have seen them pick up just one win, although they did draw with Liverpool at home in 2014 and run Real Madrid close, so they are by no means pushovers - despite what their 6-0 loss to Arsenal might suggest.
7.19pmLudogorets have only won one of their last six European home games excluding qualifiers, but they have at least scored in all four of their previous Champions League home outings. In terms of this season, the Bulgarian champions have lost just one of nine home games this term, but that defeat did come in the Champions League to PSG. It should also be noted that this stadium they will be playing in tonight is not their usual home, but a ground they play at for Champions League games.
7.21pmThat could well play into the hands of Arsenal, then, but even if it was at the Ludogorets Arena in Razgrad then they would be coming into this match full of confidence. Even looking past their convincing win the last time these two teams met, Arsenal's current form has bred a lot of optimism both inside and outside the dressing room. The 2016-17 side seem to have something other Arsenal teams of recent years have been lacking, and hopes are high for a genuine title challenge this season.
7.23pmTheir form has certainly been encouraging since they began the campaign with a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Liverpool. That opening-day loss remains their only one of the season, with Arsene Wenger's side coming into this match on a 14-game unbeaten run that includes 11 wins. They have won nine of their last 10 outings, with the only exception coming in the goalless draw with Middlesbrough, and looking further back to last season they have been beaten just once in their last 23 games in all competitions - since the last-16 loss to Barcelona in this competition in March.
7.25pmSuch for has taken them to the joint top of the Premier League table, although it is very tight in England's top flight right now. Just one point separates the top four, and Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool are all tied on 23 points apiece at the very top of the pile. It promised to be a competitive season, but so far Arsenal are keeping pace. That is also the case in the goalscoring stakes, with Arsenal having scored just one fewer goal than Liverpool and Man City, although only Liverpool have conceded more in the top six.
7.27pmIt is worth remembering that four of Arsenal's 10 goals conceded came on the opening day, though, and things have certainly improved recently, with the Gunners having kept seven clean sheets in their last nine outings in all competitions. They have conceded just once in their opening three Champions League games too whilst scoring nine times at the other end - a tally only Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund can beat across Europe.
7.29pmIt is possible for Arsenal to qualify for the knockout rounds this evening with two games to spare, but they are also dependent on results elsewhere for that to happen. A victory for either Arsenal and PSG would send both through, providing the other avoids defeat in their match too. Simply getting through may not be good enough for Wenger, though, who has said that winning the group is his main objective. Arsenal have been eliminated in the last 16 in each of their last six seasons in this competition, so the importance of winning the group and - in theory - getting an easier draw cannot be underestimated for them.
7.31pmThis season is the first time that they have avoided defeat in their first three Champions League group games since the 2011-12 campaign, but away from home they don't have the best record in Europe. They have only won one of their last five Champions League outings on the road, stretching back to March 2015. That run includes three defeats and one draw, although goals are seemingly guaranteed when the GUnners travel - they haven't been involved in an away Champions League 0-0 draw since November 2007 - a run of 39 away games.
7.33pmIt is a different story on the road in all competitions, where their 4-1 victory over Sunderland at the weekend made it 11 consecutive away games without defeat since their 3-1 loss at the Camp Nou in March. They have won six and drawn five of those, so results have been fairly mixed, although this season it is five wins from seven away games. That includes an ongoing run of four victories, and another one tonight would make it five on the bounce for the first time since May 2015.
7.35pmPREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff in Sofia, which means that it is time for a prediction! I can see plenty of goals in this game, with Ludogorets likely to play attacking football that will fall right into the hands of Arsenal. I can't see things being quite as emphatic as the 6-0 from the reverse fixture, but I still expect Arsenal to win. I'll go for a 4-1 victory.
7.37pmThe reverse meeting between these two was the first time that the two sides had ever faced and, while the final scoreline looked bad on Ludogorets, they actually put up a decent fight during the first half. Some poor goalkeeping helped the Gunners take control of the game, though, and the third goal really killed the Bulgarians off. Ozil went on to claim his first professional hat-trick and give the scoreline perhaps a harshly lopsided view.
7.39pmLudogorets have never beaten English opposition in Europe, although the only previous time that they welcomed English opposition to Bulgaria they did manage to come away with a draw. That was against Liverpool in 2014, when an 88th-minute equaliser gave them a famous point against Brendan Rodgers's side.
7.41pmNo English team has lost an away game in Bulgaria since March 1982, though, when CSKA Sofia beat Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the European Cup. English clubs have made 12 trips to these shores since then, scoring in every single game and winning nine of them. It would be a big surprise if that unbeaten streak was to come to an end tonight.
7.43pmRight, the players are out, the Champions League anthem has been belted out and we're just about ready to go here. Arsenal could be 90 minutes away from progressing into the knockout rounds of this competition.
1 minKICKOFF: Here we go then! Ludogorets get us underway in Sofia!
3 minIt's a chilly evening in Sofia, and Arsenal are just looking to get themselves warmed up by settling into this match. They've seen marginally more of the ball so far, but nothing in the way of early chances.
5 minAlmost a chance for Arsenal early on as Sanchez manages to dig out a cross in a packed penalty area. Ramsey goes for goal acrobatically with a bicycle kick, but can't connect properly and the ball goes harmlessly behind for a goal kick.
7 minI was hoping that Ludogorets would approach this match in a similar manner to the reverse fixture a couple of weeks ago, but the early exchanges suggests that may not be the case. Ludogorets seem to have learnt from that drubbing and are defending deeper and with more numbers. Not great news for the neutrals!
8 minCHANCE! Arsenal up the tempo here and slice right through Ludogorets with a sweeping passing more forward. The final ball finds Mesut Ozil, but he fluffs a tame shot straight into the arms of the keeper when he should have done better.
10 minArsenal may need to be patient tonight if the opening 10 minutes is anything to go by. The game has got off to a rather slow start and Ludogorets are wary of committing too many men forward when they do get the ball.
12 minGOAL! Ludogorets 1-0 Arsenal (Jonathan Cafu)
12 minThey took the lead against Basel and PSG, and now they have taken the lead against Arsenal too! With their first chance of the match, Ludogorets rip up the script and break the deadlock through club-record signing Jonathan Cafu. It comes from a free kick, which is curled devilishly into the area which makes it very hard to defend. Cafu's finish is rather messy as he shins it towards goal, but he manages to steer it just inside the post as Ospina watches on helplessly.
14 minWell, if Ludogorets had started in a fairly unadventurous manner then I can't see that goal changing things! They have a lead to protect now.
15 minGOAL! Ludogorets 2-0 Arsenal (Claudiu Keseru)
15 minNow then! Ludogorets double their lead with a second goal in just three minutes, and this time it is Keseru who gets it! Cafu turns provider this time, collecting a long pass from Wanderson before beating Gibbs all ends up a playing a low ball into the middle. Keseru makes the run to the near post and sweeps his finish home to send the hosts wild. It's a long way back for Arsenal now!
17 minTwo chances, two goals for Ludogorets so far tonight. They have been prolific and if they can keep their heads here then they could well be on course for a famous victory tonight.
19 minThe onus is very much on Arsenal now. Ludogorets have plenty of pace in their attack so will be quite content to sit back and wait for opportunities to counter, and it is up to the visitors to break the Bulgarian hosts down.
20 minGOAL! Ludogorets 2-1 Arsenal (Granit Xhaka)
20 minIt seems I was a little too quick to judge this game! It is turning into the goal fest we wanted after all! Arsenal halve the deficit through a first ever Champions League goal for Xhaka, although there were a few Gunners queuing up in the box there. Ozil managed to squeeze a cross into the middle and Ludogorets seem to be badly outnumbered as Xhaka sweeps home his finish.
22 minUPDATE: It's not a great night for English teams so far - Manchester City are also behind against Barcelona, and no prizes for guessing who got the goal - Lionel Messi does it again!
24 minAlready the Arsenal pressure is starting to build now. They are camped in the Ludogorets half and just probing for a way through. That Xhaka goal came far too early for the hosts' liking.
26 minThis may well be the pattern for the rest of the game now, or at least until Arsenal get back level. Ludogorets have already surprised us once tonight, though, so I'll be careful of writing them off here - they still have that pace on the counter.
28 minBorja is quickly off his line to sweep up an intended through-ball before launching an attack for the home side, but Cafu gets the ball stuck under his feet and all of the pace goes out of the counter.
30 minIt was also, I'm reliably informed, his 200th career assist...
6 - Mesut Özil has been directly involved in six goals in his last four games for Arsenal in all comps (3 goals, 3 assists). Maestro.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 1, 2016
32 minThe tempo has slowed in this game at the moment, which will suit Ludogorets. Arsenal have looked the most dangerous when they have played quick passes to drag Ludogorets out of position, but the hosts are dealing with things pretty comfortably right now.
34 minGiroud tries to knock the ball down for a teammate in the middle, but it is quickly mopped up and cleared away. Ludogorets have done a good job of halting any momentum Arsenal may have built up from that Xhaka goal.
36 minSanchez looks to take things into his own hands by going for goal from range, but he gets it all wrong and fires it high and wide of the target.
38 minYELLOW CARD! The first card of the night is shown to Minev, and it is a silly one for the defender. He has Sanchez on his own byline but slid in from behind and caught the Chilean.
40 minUPDATE: Manchester City have levelled things up against Barcelona, and it is another goal for Ilkay Gundogan. Guardiola's new side are now level at 1-1 against his former club.
41 minCHANCE! Ozil almost makes it four in two games against Ludogorets with a first-time volley from just inside the area, but the ball is blocked before it can trouble the keeper. That one looked goalbound!
42 minGOAL! Ludogorets 2-2 Arsenal (Olivier Giroud)
42 minArsenal have turned this one around! They restore parity before the interval as Giroud marks his first start of the season with his third goal in his last two games. Ramsey clips a cross into the middle and Giroud does well to drift away from his marker before beating the keeper to the ball and nodding it in.
44 minAlmost a chance for the hosts at the other end as Arsenal fail to deal with a corner and the ball drops dangerously loose inside the area. There are no green shirts in the vicinity to sweep it in, though.
45 minHALF TIME: Ludogorets Razgrad 2-2 Arsenal
8.40pmThe first half comes to an end in Sofia, then, and we're all square at the break following an action-packed opening 45 minutes. We knew this one would have goals in it, and sure enough we have seen four already having seen six in the reverse. Arsenal needed to come from two down, but they have recovered and will start the second half on an even footing once again.
8.42pmThe opening goal arrived after just 12 minutes when Jonathan Cafu directed the ball just inside the far post having got on the end of a fine free kick into the box. Arsenal's defending perhaps could have been better, but the quality of the delivery made things very difficult. Cafu turned provider just three minutes later as Ludogorets doubled their advantage, dancing past Gibbs far too easily before playing a low ball into the box. Keseru got in front of his man to apply the finish, putting Ludogorets on course for a famous victory.
8.44pmBack came Arsenal, though, and it took just five minutes for the visitors to pull one goal back as Ozil's delivery was swept home by Xhaka for his first ever Champions League goal. The equaliser arrived with just three minutes of the half remaining as Giroud continued his good recent form with a third goal in the last two games, flicking his header past the onrushing keeper after losing his marker and getting on the end of clipped cross from Ramsey.
8.46pmAside from the goals, we actually haven't seen a great number of chances at either end. The two best ones that haven't gone in both fell the way of Ozil, who first sent a tame low effort into the arms of the keeper following a slick team move from the visitors. The German, who got a hat-trick in the reverse fixture of course, also tried a volley just before Giroud's goal that was blocked before it could test the keeper.
46 minKICKOFF: Arsenal get us back underway for the second half in Sofia. More of the same, please!
48 minUPDATE: PSG took the lead against Basel just before half time, which means that both they and Arsenal would qualify for a place in the last 16 if things stay the same.
50 minConcern for Arsenal here as Gibbs goes down - not what they need with Monreal also currently sidelined and the North London derby coming up this weekend. The full-back went to ground awkwardly following a challenge from Moti and appears to have damaged his shoulder.
51 minGibbs is back on his feet and will be able to continue here - good news for the Gunners!
53 minUPDATE: Manchester City have turned things around against Barcelona and now lead the Spanish champions 2-1, with Kevin de Bruyne getting the goal. That would be a huge win for Guardiola's side.
55 minThis match hasn't quite got going again since the interval here, with no real chances in the opening 10 minutes of the season half. This match is always likely to throw up some more goals though!
57 minIt is Arsenal who are still seeing more of the ball here, but not by a great deal. They have enjoyed 56% of possession, but right now Ludogorets are containing them fairly well.
59 minYELLOW CARD! Coquelin goes into the book for a handball, and then for dissent at the decision. It was a harsh one in fairness to the midfielder.
61 minLudogorets aren't showing too much in terms of attacking threat at the moment. They seem to have gone back into their shell a little and are being reserved when they have the chance to attack.
63 minThe referee rather harshly awards Arsenal a free kick in a very dangerous position, but the wall does its job to flick Sanchez's effort over the crossbar.
63 minCHANCE! Barcelona have scored a fine counter-attacking goal tonight, but this would have been up there too. The resulting corner comes to nothing and within seconds Ludogorets are down the other end of the field. It is Wanderson who eventually has the chance, but his effort is too weak and Ospina makes the save. He should have done better there!
65 minCHANCE! Another chance for Ludogorets and Wanderson! The Brazilian sneaks in behind the defence to get on the end of a chipped ball forward, but his touch isn't perfect and that just gives Ospina the chance to come out and smother his effort.
66 minYELLOW CARD! Xhaka has another card to add to his growing collection, and he can have no complaints with this one. It was high, mistimed and cynical.
68 minThose two Ludogorets chances just helped to lift the crowd a little and hand the Gunners a warning shot, but Arsenal have since regained control of possession and are patiently probing for a way through here.
70 minYELLOW CARD! Jenkinson is the third Arsenal player in the book for a blatant shove on Wanderson.
72 minSHOT! Another warning shot for Arsenal as Ludogorets make a bright break down the left. The ball is played back to Cafu who tries an ambitious effort that flies well off target.
73 minAlmost a chance for Arsenal at the other end as Xhaka plays a probing pass into the feet of Sanchez, but the Chilean can't take it in his stride and his poor piece of control allows the keeper to collect it.
75 minARSENAL SUB: The visitors make their first change of the night as Ramsey is replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
77 minLudogorets have been very solid so far in this second half. Arsenal have enjoyed the better possession and territory, but they haven't created a chance since the interval, and the best openings have all gone the way of the hosts.
79 minJust over 10 minutes remaining in this one and, as things stand, this will be two valuable points dropped by Arsenal in their bid to finish top.
80 minLUDOGORETS SUB: The hosts make their first change of the night as Keseru is replaced by Virgil Misidjan.
81 minUPDATE: Good news Arsenal fans! Basel have levelled things up against PSG, which would mean that neither team would qualify tonight but would also keep Arsenal top of the group.
83 minIt will be interesting to see whether news of Basel's goal will filter through to the Arsenal players in the closing stages of this one. A win would do wonders for them if things stay the same in Switzerland.
85 minCHANCE! Half a chance for Arsenal as Oxlade-Chamberlain latches on to a cross inside the area and tries to steer it into the far corner, but he slices his effort wide of the target.
87 minOzil thinks that he is in as he gets to the ball before the keeper and takes it past Borjan, but the flag is up.
87 minARSENAL SUB: Another change for Arsenal as Mohamed Elneny replaces Xhaka.
88 minGOAL! Ludogorets 2-3 Arsenal (Mesut Ozil)
88 minOh my word, what a goal this is! Absolute magic from Ozil! The German this time beats the offside trap to race clean through on goal before lifting the ball over the keeper, maintaining his composure to go past two more defenders who had rushed back and then putting the ball into an empty net. Magnificent finish from Ozil, just sublime.
90 minARSENAL SUB: A third and final change for the visitors as Sanchez makes way to be replaced by Alex Iwobi.
90+1 minThere will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match.
90+3 minFULL TIME: Ludogorets Razgrad 2-3 Arsenal
9.41pmA timely goal from Ozil, then, which means that Arsenal have qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League with two games to spare. We expected goals, and the match didn't disappoint, with the Gunners coming from two goals down to eventually clinch a late 3-2 victory. PSG also got a very late winner against Basel, though, so the pair remain locked on 10 points apiece at the top of Group A.
9.43pmLudogorets made a flying start to the match, taking a two-goal lead inside 15 minutes courtesy of a quickfire double from Cafu and Keseru. However, Arsenal quickly responded and pulled a goal back just five minutes later through Xhaka, before Giroud nodded the visitors level shortly before half time. The second half was a much quieter affair, but it was lit up by a moment of Mesut magic late on as he scored a sublime winner.
9.45pmRight, that is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match as Arsenal sealed their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League courtesy of a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Ludogorets. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction from both camps. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
