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Arsenal are edging closer to yet another Champions League semifinal spot, though they'll likely need to dig deep to secure their place in the last four on Wednesday night.
The Gunners' dramatic late winner in Lisbon last week offered only a brief lift amid their current slump, as the Premier League pacesetters put in a dismal performance in their loss to Bournemouth on Saturday. There's been little in recent weeks to dispel fears of a late-season collapse, with a crucial showdown at the Etihad Stadium looming large.
Their injury woes are mounting as well, and Arteta faces some difficult calls heading into Wednesday's match.
The visit to Manchester City stands as one of Arsenal's most consequential Premier League fixtures of the modern era, yet they've also put themselves in a strong position to extend their European campaign following last week's result.
Declan Rice a Fresh Injury Concern
Arsenal's injury concerns have only deepened since Saturday's defeat, with Declan Rice absent from training on Tuesday due to an undisclosed problem.
Arteta has confirmed that a call on the midfielder's availability won't come until Wednesday morning. The Spanish manager will be mindful of the looming trip to Man City, for which he'll want Rice fully fit.
The situation is much the same for Bukayo Saka and Jurriën Timber, who had appeared to have an outside chance of recovering from their respective knocks in time for the weekend. Neither featured, however, and Saka continues to be troubled by his Achilles problem.
Martin Ødegaard and Riccardo Calafiori were also absent from Tuesday's training session, with both unlikely to be available during the midweek. Mikel Merino remains sidelined long-term with a foot complaint.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Sporting CP (4-2-3-1)
GK: David Raya—The Spanish shot-stopper has statistically ranked as the top goalkeeper in the Champions League this season, with his +2.13 goals prevented figure leading the entire competition. He's let in just three goals so far.
RB: Ben White—White's positional lapses have been exposed in consecutive matches, and Sporting would be smart to go after the Englishman again should Timber fail to recover in time.
CB: William Saliba—Saliba faces another demanding battle with powerful striker Luis Suárez in the second leg. The Colombian was subdued in Lisbon, but he looks capable of causing problems for Arsenal's imposing center-back partnership.
CB: Gabriel—Opponents are increasingly finding success by inviting Gabriel into possession during the build-up, as Bournemouth demonstrated. That said, the Brazilian remains an outstanding defender in the box and may need to put his body on the line to help Arsenal advance.
LB: Piero Hincapié—The Ecuadorian returned to the matchday squad at the weekend after picking up a hamstring injury on international duty. While Myles Lewis-Skelly caught the eye against Bournemouth, Hincapié appears set to fill in for the absent Riccardo Calafiori.
CM: Martín Zubimendi—It's clear that Arsenal need more from their midfield anchor, who made a strong impression in the first half of the season but has faded noticeably over recent weeks.
CM: Christian Nørgaard—Should Rice be ruled out from the start, Arteta may be forced to go with a more defensive midfield pairing in the second leg.
RW: Max Dowman—The 16-year-old made history as the youngest player to feature in a Champions League knockout stage match last week. He could now become the youngest to start a Champions League knockout stage game.
AM: Eberechi Eze—Eze's stunning strike helped Arsenal knock out Bayer Leverkusen in the previous round, and Arteta desperately needs his creative spark to shine in the weeks ahead.
LW: Gabriel Martinelli—Martinelli struggled to make an impact at the weekend, but he's been far more effective in European competition. The winger set up Havertz's decisive goal last week with a driving run and precise delivery.
ST: Viktor Gyökeres—The in-form Swede found little joy on his return to familiar territory, with a pair of well-acquainted center backs keeping him firmly under wraps throughout.