Kylian Mbappe backed as Gunners find out potential Champions League opponents

15 December 2023 , 04:00

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Arsenal completed their successful Champions League group stage campaign this week but now attention will turn back to their Premier League title ambitions.

This Sunday, Mikel Arteta's side host Brighton, and will kick-off a point behind leaders Liverpool. And the Spanish boss will be demanding a response for his players following the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa last weekend - especially given they go to Anfield in a mammoth clash on December 23.

And with the January transfer window approaching, speculation is mounting as to whether Arteta will be pursuing reinforcements. The club are still being heavily linked to Brentford striker Ivan Toney, with the striker's ban for breaching FA betting regulations set to expire next month.

Here, Mirror Football rounds up all the latest news from the Emirates.....

Mbappe supported by Arsenal icon

Kylian Mbappe struggled to hide his frustration at the end of Paris Saint-Germain's 1-1 draw away at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night.

Mikel Arteta's dream Arsenal line up as last-gasp January transfers are secured

But compatriot and ex-Arsenal icon Emmanuel Petittold RMC Sport: "I understand his frustration, If I were in his place, I would not have understood the instructions from the bench either. We saw the bench get up and Achraf Hakimi tell his teammates to calm things down.

"Mbappe doesn’t think like the majority of players. He’s right, I’m sorry, but he knows. He plans ahead and knows what’s going to happen. He knows very well who PSG could face next. We know his ambitions, he doesn’t want to finish second and he knows there was room to finish first."

Kylian Mbappe of PSG reacts against Borussia Dortmund

HAVE YOUR SAY! What should be Arsenal's starting line-up against Brighton? Comment below.

Fans find out potential last-16 opponents

Arsenal fans now know the seven sides they can potentially face in the last 16 of the Champions League.

The draw will take place next Monday, December 18 at 11am in Nyon, Switzerland. As group winners, Mikel Arteta's team will be seeded - but cannot face PSV Eindhoven haven been drawn with them in the group stages.

Therefore, it will be one of Copenhagen, Inter Milan, RB Leipzig, Napoli, Lazio, Porto or Paris St Germain. Given their seeded, Arsenal are guaranteed to have the second leg of their next tie at the Emirates.

Eddie Nketiah celebrates his goal at PSV on Tuesday (Getty Images)

Arteta escapes ban for Newcastle comments

Mikel Arteta has avoided punishment for his comments following Arsenal's controversial defeat to Newcastle.

The Gunners were beaten 1-0 last month thanks to Anthony Gordon's strike but Arteta branded VAR's failure to rule out the goal as an "absolute disgrace". There were three separate VAR reviews within the goal itself, including the ball potentially going out of play before an apparent foul on Gabriel.

Arteta was subsequently handed a misconduct charge by the FA (rule E3) for using comments that were "insulting towards match officials and/or detrimental to the game and/or bring the game into disrepute.”

Arsenal lose eight players and sign three as January transfer window closes

An independent commission has now found the charge to be unproven after agreeing it was not Arteta's intention to insult the match officials. The Arsenal boss insisted he was instead acting in the wider interests of the game amid concerns over VAR.