Arsenal manager Unai Emery has placed his trust in his team to overturn a one-goal deficit in the home leg of their Europa League tie.
The Gunners were beaten 1-0 on Thursday night by a BATE Borisov containing one of their former former players, Aleksandr Hleb, thanks to a Stanislav Dragun goal late in the first-half.
The result means Arsenal will have to score at least twice and not concede an away goal in order to progress to the last 16, but manager Emery says he is confident his side os capable of doing so.
“Our big opportunity is next week at home. Today is not the result we wanted. We deserved more but they worked for this. Next week is going to be different with our supporters,” Emery told BT Sport.
“We can win or lose but we play the second match and I trust in our work and preparations to make a different result at Emirates Stadium.”
Arsenal’s task was made all the more difficult when Alexandre Lacazette received a red card for a nasty elbow on a BATE defender, ruling him out of the second leg.
A bad night for the Gunners gets worse ????
Alexandre Lacazette is sent off for this elbow!
Was it a fair decision? ???? pic.twitter.com/PfSfcsJwrs
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 14, 2019
“I didn’t see the action but we need to control the frustration. It’s bad news, this red card. Next week we won’t play with [Lacazette]. But it gives chances for another player,” Emery added.
Arsenal face the Belarusian outfit again next Thursday, February 21, at the Emirates Stadium for the return fixture.
