Preview: Arsenal vs Kairat - prediction, team news, lineups

First meets worst at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening, when Champions League leaders Arsenal complete a near-flawless league-phase campaign at home to Kairat.

The Gunners will be assured of a first-placed finish with just a point against their 36th-ranked visitors, whose debut campaign in the big time has been a harsh reality check.

Match preview

Leaving club records in their wake during an extraordinary European campaign to date, Arsenal have brushed aside every foe in their path in the 2025-26 league phase, taking 21 points from 21 on offer to confirm a spot in the last 16 with a game to spare.

Much has been made of Inter Milan's dogged defence down the years, but Mikel Arteta's men toyed with the Nerazzurri's backline at San Siro last week, as Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres inspired the Gunners to a statement 3-1 win over the 2022-23 and 2024-25 runners-up.

Three points better off than previous victims Bayern Munich and out of sight of the rest, Arsenal - who also rank joint-first for goals scored (20) while conceding a competition-low two in the league phase so far - will guarantee top spot with a draw at home to their lowly visitors this week.

However, Arteta's men risk growing discontent with an underwhelming stalemate on Wednesday, as a small smattering of boos could be heard at the conclusion of Sunday's shock 3-2 Premier League loss to Manchester United - Arsenal's first at home in any competition this season.

So often the hosts have made up for sluggish build-up play and a lack of creativity with set-piece mastery, but that was not the case against Michael Carrick's men, and familiar struggles rearing their ugly heads on Wednesday could lead to further title doubts creeping in.

Two sides whose fates have already been sealed collide in the English capital this week, as Champions League first-timers Kairat will be bowing out at the opening hurdle no matter what transpires on the final matchday.

The Kazakhstani upstarts have collected just a solitary point in the 2025-26 league phase - which came in a 0-0 draw at home to fellow debutants Pafos - since when they have been slain by Inter, Olympiacos, Copenhagen and Club Brugge.

Kairat lost by just the one goal to the former three opponents, but a 4-1 thumping at the hands of Club Brugge was a rude awakening for Rafael Urazbakhtin's crop, who are now simply striving to avoid finishing bottom of the pack.

The Team of the Nation could overtake all of Villarreal, Slavia Prague and Eintracht Frankfurt if they can miraculously avoid defeat at the Emirates, but the visitors would need to earn the shock win of all shock wins to leapfrog the latter two.

Plenty of lessons will be taken from Kairat's inaugural Champions League campaign, in which they were never expected to pose a serious threat to the big boys, but with both teams' destiny decided, strange things could happen here.

Arsenal Champions League form:

Arsenal form (all competitions):

Kairat Champions League form:

Kairat form (all competitions):

Team News

Boasting a near fully-fit contingent for the first time this season, Arsenal were only without Max Dowman (ankle) and Riccardo Calafiori (muscle) for the loss to Man United, although the latter was seen in training on Friday alongside the returning Piero Hincapie.

However, Arteta has lost midfield duo Declan Rice and Mikel Merino to yellow-card suspensions for Wednesday's game, in which Christian Norgaard should be immediately brought back into the fold after being left out of Sunday's matchday squad.

Kai Havertz was another notable absentee against Man Utd following reports of an injury setback - which Arteta allayed - but the German may not be risked from the first whistle just yet.

Instead, Viktor Gyokeres could return up front after losing out to Gabriel Jesus on Sunday, in what could be one of nine changes from the hosting manager ahead of Leeds United this weekend.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan concluded their latest domestic campaign in October and have only been competing in the Champions League for the past few months, but Urazbakhtin is still not without injury concerns.

Chelsea-bound 17-year-old Dastan Satpaev - who will join the Blues this summer - missed the loss to Club Brugge with an unspecified injury, and his availability for Wednesday remains uncertain.

Furthermore, winter arrivals Lucas Africo, Jaakko Oksanen and Sebastian Zeballos are all ineligible for the league phase.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Norgaard, Eze; Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli

Kairat possible starting lineup:

Anarbekov; Tapalov, Martynovich, Sorokin, Mata; Sadybekov, Glazer; Mrynskiy, Jorginho, Gromyco; Edmilson

We say: Arsenal 4-0 Kairat

Arsenal vs. Kairat may be a dead rubber as far as the table is concerned, but the Emirates faithful will demand an emphatic response from Sunday's horror show, and several second-string players will also be aiming to send out a selection message.

The visitors have no reason to play with the handbrake on, but we have complete faith in Arteta's men to return to triumphant ways, and in dominant fashion too.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.