Champions League Matchday 8: Arsenal vs Kairat Almaty facts

Already assured of a place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, league phase leaders Arsenal will look to make it maximum points in this season's competition when eliminated Kairat Almaty come to London on Matchday 8.

The Gunners have seven wins from seven and are three points clear of Bayern München in the table. Kairat, meanwhile, have picked up a single point and are level with Villarreal at the bottom of the standings.

Last match

This is the first meeting between Arsenal and Kairat and also the first time either club has faced opponents from the other's country.

Arsenal

Having not featured in the Champions League proper between 2016/17 and 2023/24, Arsenal are making their third successive appearance.

The Gunners reached the semi-finals last season – their best run in the competition since 2008/09 – before a 1-3 aggregate defeat by eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Kairat Almaty

Kairat are in the Champions League proper for the first time. Astana, in 2015/16, are the only side from Kazakhstan to feature, drawing four of their six games (L2).

This is only Kairat's third Champions League campaign. They lost in the first qualifying round in 2005/06 and in the second qualifying round in 2021/22.

Kairat's only participation in a UEFA group stage/league phase was in the 2021/22 UEFA Conference League, when they finished bottom of their section (D2 L4).

Key stats

A 3-1 Matchday 7 victory at Inter means Arsenal are the only team to win their first seven matches this season. No team recorded eight victories from eight in last season's league phase; Liverpool won their first seven before losing at PSV Eindhoven on Matchday 8.

This is the first time Arsenal have won seven consecutive European matches.

Since a 1-0 defeat at Inter on Matchday 4 last season Arsenal have won 11 consecutive league phase matches, conceding only four goals.

Mikel Arteta's side have the best defensive record in this season's Champions League having conceded just two goals in seven games.

Arsenal have scored three or more goals in their last five league phase fixtures and have opened the scoring in the last seven.

The Gunners have lost only two of their last 29 games at this stage (W23 D4).

Arsenal have won their last 16 home European group stage/league phase matches, conceding only three goals.

Indeed, the London club have lost only one of their last 21 European matches in their own stadium (W15 D5).

Gabriel Martinelli has found the net in Arsenal's three home Champions League games this season.

A 1-4 home defeat by Club Brugge on Matchday 7 made it ten European games without a win for Kairat (D3 L7).

The Almaty club have never won a game in a UEFA group stage/league phase (D3 L10) – they are aiming to become the first Kazakhstan club to record a victory in the Champions League proper.