Red-hot Arsenal head to Porto on Wednesday for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last 16 tie and expectation levels are rising around this young Gunners side.

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Arsenal have won five Premier League games in a row to start 2024, scoring 21 goals and conceding just twice in the process. That has led to Mikel Arteta's dragging themselves back into the title race and right now they have the momentum heading into a pivotal stage of the season. But this week their focus is on advancing in the Champions League as their first knockout round game in this competition since 2016-17 will be a big moment for many of these young players. This a new experience for the likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli and it will be intriguing to see how Arsenal handle the pressure of being heavy favorites to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

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Porto are big underdogs as Sergio Conceicao's side are struggling in third place in Portugal's top-flight (they're seven points off leaders Benfica) and Brazilian striker Evanilson is their main hope of getting something out of this first leg. Evanilson has scored 50 goals in all competitions over the last three seasons but scoring goals has been a big issues this season for this young Porto side. They did come second in their group, behind Barcelona, and won four of their six games with their only defeats coming by a single goal to Barca. The Estadio do Dragao has helped Porto pull off many upsets over the years and with absolutely nothing to lose, Porto will go for it. Having an experienced leader like Pepe, who turns 41 next week, at center back could help the Portuguese giants stay in this tie ahead of the second leg in London in early March.

Kick off: 3pm ET, Wednesday (February 21)How to watch: Paramount+ and TUDN USA

⚽ ℕ ℕℂ⚽#FCPAFC #UCL pic.twitter.com/yjjDhR5JkR

— FC Porto (@FCPorto) February 21, 2024

⚪️Unchanged from Saturday's win at Burnley ✅ Let's leave it all out there, Gunners pic.twitter.com/DadsKfYD6e

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 21, 2024

Porto will look to the duo of Evanilson and Galeno in attack to make the most of any chances Arsenal give them on the counter. They also have Portugal's starting goalkeeper Diogo Costa and Pepe ahead of him so they have the potential to sit deep, defend and soak up pressure. Porto lost talented Nigerian full back Zaidu to injury which is a big blow.

With injuries not clearing up for Arsenal it is likely Arteta will roll out the same lineup he's used for their big wins at West Ham and Burnley over the last two weekends. With Gabriel Jesus out injured, the duo of Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz have taken their chance as they've ghosted into space and interchanged masterfully as Arsenal's attacking machine has ruthlessly clicked into place. Saka is in wonderful form, with Odegaard and Rice also controlling midfield in their sleep. Defensively the Gunners will be tested a lot more by Porto than they've been in recent weeks and this is a big test for David Raya.

OUT: Jurrien Timber (torn ACL) | QUESTIONABLE: Gabriel Jesus (knee), Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Takehiro Tomiyasu (undisclosed), Thomas Partey (thigh), Fabio Vieira (groin)