FC Koln vs Arsenal - as it happened: Hosts snatch surprise victory after Sehrou Guirassy penalty

Re-live all the action from Cologne

(Getty)

Arsenal arrive in Cologne on the back of a morale-boosting victory over their north London rivals Tottenham and are close to securing their progress to the knockout stages of the Europa League.

A win in Germany will ensure they go through and claim top spot in Group H, having already amassed 10 points from their opening four matches.

Koln are having a dreadful season, stuck at the bottom of the Bundesliga with only two points and four goals to show from 12 league games, and are rooted to the foot of the group.

Join Liam Corless for all the latest action from FC Koln vs Arsenal below.

What time does it start?

FC Koln vs Arsenal kicks off at 6pm GMT.

Where can I watch it?

It will be shown live on BT Sport 2.

It's a big game for?

Per Mertesacker. The German defender has struggled to establish himself in Arsene Wenger's first-choice defence this season, despite the manager opting for three centre-backs, and is expected to have the opportunity to start against Koln and issue a reminder of his qualities.

Per Metersacker in Arsenal training (Getty) (Getty Images / Stuart MacFarlane / Contributor)

Player to watch?

Timo Horn. The 24-year-old goalkeeper is already a legend in Cologne having joined the club in 2002 when he was only nine. He could face plenty of questions from Arsenal's attack this evening.

Form...

Koln LDLWLL

Arsenal WWWDLW

Odds...

Koln 2/1

Draw 12/5

Arsenal 13/10

[23 November 2017 16:52 · Vithushan Ehantharajah]

Join Liam Corless for all the buildup and live action from FC Koln vs Arsenal in the Europa League.

[23 November 2017 17:01 · Liam Corless]

Arsenal team news

Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of FC Koln vs Arsenal! Here is how the Gunners line up tonight as they aim to seal top spot in Group H:

[23 November 2017 17:24 · Liam Corless]

Wenger backs Welbeck to make England's World Cup squad

Danny Welbeck starts for the Gunners tonight in Germany and earlier this week Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger backed him to defy expectations and make England's World Cup squad:

“Danny has the potential to go,” Wenger said in a press conference on Wednesday evening. “If he is fit, he will go, I am convinced of that.

“I have long experience. I have known players who’ve won the World Cup who in November had no chance to go to the World Cup. I remember Petit in 1998, he made it in March, April, May, and was one of the main players after the World Cup.

"The best way to go to the World Cup is not to think, ‘I have to prepare for the World Cup’, it is to do well for club and automatically you are in the national team."

[23 November 2017 17:34 · Liam Corless]

Pre-match quotes from Martin Keown

On how the Europa League campaign has gone for Arsenal: "It's gone swimmingly well, it's been a good tournament for Arsenal. It's mostly been the B team we've seen.

"The second string team needs these types of game to try and burst their way into the first team. After a great result against Tottenham I expect lots of confidence tonight from this Arsenal team."

Quotes from BT Sport

[23 November 2017 17:37 · Liam Corless]

Arsenal's Europa League results so far

• MD1: Arsenal 3-1 FC Koln
• MD2: BATE 2-4 Arsenal
• MD3: Red Star Belgrade 0-1 Arsenal
• MD4: Arsenal 0-0 Red Star Belgrade

[23 November 2017 17:44 · Liam Corless]

[23 November 2017 17:53 · Liam Corless]

FC Koln's dreadful start to the season

Arsenal will definitely fancy their chances of winning tonight. Why? Because Koln are in absolutely woeful form.

They have taken just two points from their opening 12 Bundesliga games of the season - that's the worst start any team has EVER made to a German top-flight campaign.

[23 November 2017 17:55 · Liam Corless]

Just under five minutes to go until kick-off in Germany, where this fella is given another chance to impress in the Arsenal starting line-up:

[23 November 2017 18:02 · Liam Corless]

FC Koln 0-0 Arsenal 

1' - We are underway in Germany!

[23 November 2017 18:04 · Liam Corless]

FC Koln 0-0 Arsenal

2' - Jack Wilshere and Ainsley Maitland-Niles link up well early on with the latter seeing his shot from a tight angle tipped behind for a corner by Koln goalkeeper David Ospina.