Arsenal look to make most of Dublin getaway

Mikel Arteta’s came close to killing Dundalk with kindness as he congratulated them on Sunday’s FAI Cup win

Dundalk's Michael Duffy goes past Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta at the Emirates Stadium. Photo by Matt Impey/Sportsfile

Thursday night is the graveyard shift in European football so it says a lot about Arsenal’s difficulties in the Premier League right now that this dead rubber in Dublin could be considered a welcome change in both pace and scenery.

Mikel Arteta’s side, forewarned about the abysmal state of the pitch after the Ireland-Scotland rugby game last weekend, trained in London before flying over, and the Spaniard came close to killing Dundalk with kindness as he congratulated them on Sunday’s FAI Cup win.