Arsenal vs Kairat Almaty: Gunners chase perfect league-phase finish at the Emirates

Arsenal vs Kairat Almaty has kicked off in North London, with Mikel Arteta’s rotated but heavyweight XI bidding to complete a flawless UEFA Champions League league-phase campaign. Status: Live — early stages on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. See the global kickoff block below; we’ll add minute-by-minute once verified.

Score & Status — Arsenal vs Kairat Almaty

• Status: Live (first half just underway)

• Score: Arsenal 0–0 Kairat Almaty

• Venue: Emirates Stadium, London

Kickoff (Time Zones)

• USA (ET) — Wednesday, Jan 28, 3:00 PM

• USA (PT) — Wednesday, Jan 28, 12:00 PM

• Canada (Toronto) — Wednesday, Jan 28, 3:00 PM

• UK (London) — Wednesday, Jan 28, 8:00 PM

Live Timeline (Key Moments)

• 1’: Kickoff at the Emirates; Arsenal settle into possession.

• 5’: Hosts probing down the right; Kairat compact in a 5-4-1 without the ball.

• 10’: First corner for the Gunners; delivery cleared at the near post.

• 15’: Kairat’s first foray forward ends with a speculative effort from distance, comfortably over.
  (We’ll expand this section with confirmed incidents as they’re verified for Arsenal vs Kairat Almaty.)

Standout Performers & Turning Points

• Viktor Gyökeres: Leads the line with aggressive pressing and penalty-box movement; already peeling onto the outside center-back to open channels for runners.

• Kai Havertz: Floating between the lines to create a box-midfield overload; early touches suggest Arsenal will look for third-man runs beyond him.

• Kairat back line: The trio have held a deep starting position, prioritizing clearances and compactness to blunt Arsenal’s wide overloads.

• Early tactical picture: Arsenal’s 4-3-3 becomes a 2-3-5 in sustained possession; Kairat respond by tucking both wing-backs into a flat five. The flank battle may decide where the first clear chance comes.

Lineups & Shape (if confirmed)

• Arsenal (4-3-3): GK Kepa Arrizabalaga; DEF Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly; MID Christian Nørgaard, Kai Havertz, Eberechi Eze; FWD Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyökeres, Gabriel Martinelli.
  Notes: White steps inside to form the rest-defense pair with Mosquera when Calafiori pushes to support the left wing; Eze drifts to the right half-space to link with Madueke.

• Kairat Almaty (3-4-3): GK Anarbekov; DEF Shirobokov, Martynovich, Sorokin; MID Tapalov, Glazer, Sadybekov, Mata; FWD Mrynskiy, Edmilson, Monteiro.
  Notes: Out of possession, Kairat drop into a 5-4-1, with the far-side winger pinching in to screen central zones.

Match Stats (if available)

What It Means — Arsenal vs Kairat Almaty

A win seals a perfect eight-from-eight league phase for the Gunners and rubber-stamps top seeding into the knockouts, keeping travel and opponent permutations favorable. For Kairat, every minute at the Emirates is invaluable experience and a chance to claim a famous result against elite opposition; even a draw would be a statement after a grueling continental campaign. Expect Arsenal to keep injecting tempo from the flanks and set plays as legs tire; if the deadlock breaks, Arsenal vs Kairat Almaty could tilt quickly given the disparity in depth and bench options.

For Upcoming Matches (preview mode only)

• Form (last 5): Arsenal (W-W-W-W-L) vs Kairat (L-L-L-D-L)

• Injuries/Suspensions: Arsenal resting regular starters but bench is stacked; Kairat at near full strength.

• Where to watch: Domestic broadcast on major sports networks; international coverage varies by region.

• Prediction: Arsenal by multiple goals if they find an early rhythm; Kairat’s best route is set-pieces and counterattacks against the high line.