All you need to know for Wednesday’s Champions League ties

Football writer David Coverdale previews Matchweek 2 of the Premier League clubs’ UEFA Champions League matches and what to expect from their opponents.

It is the second round of Champions League matches in the league phase, with the Premier League’s record six representatives all in action over the course of two nights.

On Wednesday night, Newcastle United – who lost their opener to Barcelona  – travel to Belgium to face Union Saint-Gilloise in an early evening kick-off.

Later on, Arsenal and Manchester City will be bidding to make it two wins out of two when they take on Olympiakos and Monaco respectively.

Royale Union Saint-Gilloise v Newcastle United
Wednesday 1 October, 17:45 (BST)

Having opened their Champions League campaign against continental heavyweights Barcelona, Newcastle now face a side making their debut in the competition.

Union Saint-Gilloise won the Belgian title last season for the first time in 90 years to take their place in the Champions League.

And they made an impressive start by beating PSV Eindhoven 3-1 away from home, with Argentinian defender Kevin Mac Allister – the older brother of Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister – among their scorers, as well as in-form Canadian striker Promise David.

Union SG are currently on a five-match winning run in all competitions and top their domestic table by six points.

Newcastle, meanwhile, will have to pick themselves up from their late collapse against Arsenal, when they led until the 84th minute but ended up losing 2-1.

That devastating defeat also came at a cost as their England full-back Tino Livramento was carried off on a stretcher with a reported knee injury.

The Magpies will know they need a positive result in Brussels to get their campaign back on track following their 2-1 defeat to Barcelona.

Eddie Howe was criticised for not starting striker Nick Woltemade in that encounter at St James' Park, but is likely to go with the German against Union SG off the back of his goal against Arsenal.

Arsenal v Olympiacos
Wednesday 1 October, 20:00 (BST)

Emirates Stadium is something of a happy hunting ground for Olympiacos.

The Greek champions have remarkably won their last three away games against Arsenal – in the Champions League in 2015 and the UEFA Europa League in 2020 and 2021.

However, few other statistics point towards Mikel Arteta’s men having much to worry about on Wednesday night.

Arsenal have won their last 13 home league phase games in Europe and have not conceded in any of their last 10.

The Gunners’ confidence is also high following that late win at Newcastle on Sunday, and their impressive 2-0 victory away at Athletic Club in their European opener.

Highlights from Athletic Club 0-2 Arsenal

Olympiacos, meanwhile, were held at home by Champions League debutants Pafos of Cyprus two weeks ago.

They have won just two of their last 21 games at this stage of Europe’s premier competition and have lost their last 10 away trips.

On the domestic front, Olympiacos are top of the Greek Super League and beat Levadiakos 3-2 at the weekend thanks to their own stoppage-time winner from Chiquinho.

The Portuguese playmaker is their biggest threat, while one familiar face to Premier League fans is former Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Daniel Podence.

Monaco v Manchester City
Wednesday 1 October, 20:00 (BST)

Three months after signing for Monaco, former Man Utd midfielder Paul Pogba has still not featured for the Ligue 1 club.

Could his debut come against Man City on Wednesday?

It seems unlikely, but Monaco manager Adi Hutter has stated Pogba is edging closer to first-team action after getting up to speed in training following his return from a doping suspension.

“We're in our process," said Hutter last week. "We've given ourselves three months. He's getting closer to the group. He's physically and mentally well.”

Away from the Pogba sideshow, Monaco come into this match on the back of a damaging 3-1 loss at Lorient.

They were also humiliated 4-1 in their first Champions League match away at Club Brugge, so a defence which includes former Spurs defender Eric Dier appears vulnerable.

That backline is sure to be tested to its limit by a City side who scored five goals in their weekend demolition of Burnley.

Erling Haaland bagged a late brace against the Clarets to take his tally for club and country this season to 15 goals from just nine games.

The Norwegian’s hot streak includes scoring City’s opener in their 2-0 win over Napoli in their first European game of the season.

Wednesday’s match in Monaco will be Haaland’s 50th in the Champions League and he has scored a record 50 times in his first 49 appearances.

The only statistic to trouble travelling fans is the fact that City have actually lost their last four Champions League away games.