Arsenal host Bayern Munich in the Champions League this evening (7.45pm kick-off) looking for a miracle in their bid to overturn a 5-1 deficit from the first leg.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Bundesliga champions thumped the Gunners at the Allianz Arena three weeks ago, with a brace from Thiago Alcantara and strikes from Arjen Robben, Robert Lewandowski, and Thomas Muller securing the hosts a comprehensive victory, and surely their place in the last eight of the competition.

Alexis Sanchez’s goal in Munich looked set to be pivotal ahead of tonight’s second leg when he equalised for the Gunners, and although it somewhat reduces the immense mountain Arsene Wenger’s have to climb, they will still need everything they’ve got and more to produce one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history.

Wenger’s men have exited the competition at the last-16 stage for the past six seasons, twice at the hands of Bayern, and their place in next year’s campaign is seriously under threat following their 3-1 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday, which saw them fall out of the Premier League’s top four.

Nonetheless, Arsenal must fully focus on tonight’s clash against the German giants, and although the odds are stacked against them, stranger things have happened, and here are THREE reasons why they can perform the impossible and progress to the next stage of the Champions League…

Sanchez to return

Alexis Sanchez was dropped from the Arsenal starting eleven in the 3-1 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday, with it reported that a training ground row between him and some of his Gunners teammates was the reason for his de-selection.

However, the 28-year-old was seen shaking hands with manager Arsene Wenger in training on Monday and the Gunners boss has since quashed the reports of issues on the training ground, which all points to the Chilean international returning to the side against Bayern.

And with the way Sanchez has been playing this season, he could help inspire Arsenal to an unlikely victory.

The forward has scored 17 goals and laid on nine assists in the Premier League this term, and it was he who looked the most threatening Arsenal player in their defeat at the Allianz Arena three weeks ago.

He should be fresh and raring to go, and that could spell danger for the Bayern backline.

They’ve beaten Bayern before

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

It’s not as if Arsenal are going into tonight’s clash having never beaten Bayern Munich before.

Wenger’s men in fact won their last meeting at the Emirates 2-0 back in October 2015, with goals from Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud helping the Gunners to a group stage victory over Pep Guardiola’s men.

They have also tasted victory at the Allianz Arena, where they were 3-1 down after the first leg of their last-16 clash back in 2013, only to win 2-0 in Munich but ultimately fall just short, as they went out on the away goals rule.

Clearly, Arsenal have the capability of beating Bayern – they’ve done it before in a similar situation – and that should give them confidence ahead of tonight’s encounter at the Emirates.

Nothing to lose

No-one is expecting Arsenal to overturn the 5-1 deficit this evening, but the Gunners often play better when there is little pressure on their shoulders.

Wenger’s men have for the last few years seen their season come to a shuddering halt around this time, be it exiting the Champions League at the last-16 stage or seeing their Premier League title challenge fade, yet they always pick themselves up after that and go on a run.

Last season, Arsenal were unbeaten in their last ten games of the league season, while the campaign before saw them win eight in a row between February and April, which in turn helped them to a third place finish in the league.

Wenger’s side have absolutely nothing to lose, and Bayern will be wary of that, as an Arsenal playing without pressure but with freedom can be one of the top sides in Europe.