Arsenal and Como Set for a Wide-Open Clash With No Clear Favorite at the Emirates

The Emirates Stadium hosts an appealing matchup between Arsenal and Como, two clubs arriving from different seasons and contexts but with recent form that points toward an open game. The clash is part of the Club Friendlies slate, and while there are no official points on the line in domestic competition, both sides bring interesting attacking dynamics that should make for goals in London.

How Both Teams Arrive

Arsenal's record in this competition is modest: from two matches played, they won one and lost one, scoring 5 goals and allowing 4. Looking at their most recent form over the last five matches, the Gunners have picked up two wins, one draw and two losses, an inconsistent stretch that contrasts with the level they typically show in official competitions. Offensively, they average 1 goal per game and concede 0.75, with 50% of their matches ending in a clean sheet. Their strongest scoring window falls between the 76th and 90th minutes, a sign of a team that tends to grow stronger late in games. Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard sit atop the club's scoring charts with 2 goals apiece, followed by Declan Rice with 1.

Como, meanwhile, arrives on a notable run: four wins and a draw across their last five matches, with no defeats in that stretch. The Italians average 2 goals scored per game, though they also concede plenty, 1.667 on average, and have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their recent outings (0%). They tend to be more dangerous in the first half, with their most productive stretch coming between the 31st and 45th minutes. Tasos Douvikas leads their attack with 4 goals, followed by Martin Baturina and Lucas da Cunha, both with 3.

Likely Lineups

Arsenal's projected lineup is a low-confidence estimate drawn from their recent matches. They could line up with Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal, a back four of Cristhian Mosquera, Gabriel Magalhaes, Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori, a midfield of Kai Havertz, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Martin Odegaard, and up front Max Dowman alongside Piero Hincapie in more advanced roles with Viktor Gyokeres as the focal point. It's worth noting that none of these spots are officially confirmed.

For Como, with medium confidence based on their recent sample, the projected side has Jean Butez between the posts, a back line of Jacobo Ramon, Marc Oliver Kempf, Diego Carlos and Alex Valle, a crowded midfield with Maximo Perrone, Lucas da Cunha, Assane Diao, Martin Baturina and Nico Paz, and Tasos Douvikas as the lone striker. As with Arsenal, this is a probable lineup rather than an official one.

Match Probabilities

Our own model shows a very even contest, with a slight lean toward Como (37%) over Arsenal (34%) and the draw (29%) not far behind. There's no clear favorite here: all three outcomes sit within a narrow margin. The expected goals figures back up that read, with 1.33 for Arsenal and 1.38 for Como, for an estimated total of 2.71 goals. All of this is our own projection based on season trends, not a betting line.

The broader trends support that picture: both teams are expected to score (100%), and there's a 50% chance the match goes over 2.5 goals. With Arsenal strong late and Como usually striking before halftime, the Emirates could see a back and forth exchange from start to finish.