‘It’s not all happy’… Martin Keown makes bold claim about Real Madrid ahead of Arsenal Champions League clash

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Arsenal host Real Madrid at the Emirates in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.

The Gunners are all but out of the Premier League title race, and thus, attentions have turned towards Europe’s elite competition.

Gabriel Magalhaes has been ruled out for the season after sustaining a hamstring injury against Fulham, a significant blow to the North Londoners’ hopes of progressing past Los Blancos.

Real Madrid will also have four of their key players available, after a prospective ban was dismissed by UEFA after an investigation.

• READ MORE: William Saliba has already made his feelings clear about playing with Jakub Kiwior instead of Gabriel Magalhaes at Arsenal

Martin Keown makes bold claim about Real Madrid ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash

Real Madrid will certainly be favourites to progress after Gabriel’s injury, although Carlo Ancelotti’s side have endured some hiccups in recent weeks.

The Spanish giants shipped four goals at home to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey, and they remain three points behind Barcelona in La Liga.

Speaking about Arsenal’s prospects against Real Madrid on TNT Sports ahead of the Everton game, Martin Keown provided an optimistic outlook.

“It’s about options in the final third,” Keown said.

“When we had that chat a couple of weeks, the cupboard was bare for Arsenal strikers. Martinelli, if that was an interview for Tuesday night, he was brilliant against Fulham in midweek so I think he’s in the door.

“Saka coming back, Nwaneri, they’ve been really good plusses. It’s just that central area.

“Real Madrid, business end of the season, they turn up, but don’t discount Arsenal. I watched Real Madrid against Real Sociedad, shipping four goals, they can concede.

“It’s not all happy in the Real Madrid garden.”

Arsenal can beat Real Madrid

As Keown alluded to, Real Madrid are vulnerable defensively, and with Saka back, Arsenal can take advantage of this vulnerability.

The Gunners now have the attacking threat to hurt Real, while they boasted the best defensive record in the league phase of the competition.

Conceding just one open-play goal in their first eight Champions League matches of the season, Arteta’s team are capable of negating some of the best forwards in the world.

If they can nullify the likes of Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe, they have what it takes to score a sufficient number of goals over the two legs to overcome the European champions.