Arsenal55' L.Podolski1 - 3
FinishedBayern Munich7' T.Kroos21' T.Müller77' M.Mandžukic

Now Ramsey is added to the yellow card list as he fouls Mueller, and the referee has set a dangerous precedent in this match.

Podolski is the latest player to be shown the yellow card, and it's for a foul on Robben. Pretty petty.

Arsenal are content to pass the ball around in their half at the moment, and Robben is desperate to get into the game.

That is Ribery's last contribution as he is replaced by Arjen Robben.

The set piece comes to nothing, but seconds later Kroos draws a fine save from Szczesny with a vicious strike from 25 yards!

Ribery wins a free kick for the visitors with a pacy run down the left, and Ramsey brings him down.

Arsenal have been visibly lifted by that goal, and Bayern have effectively gifted their opponents a way back into the tie with that lack of marking.

OPTA STAT: Podolski has now scored four goals from four shots on target in the Champions League this season.

Walcott's delivery into the box is a decent one, but Van Buyten rises high to clear away with a powerful header.

Mueller is booked for a mistimed challenge out on the Arsenal left, and Walcott stands over the set piece.

That is the first goal that Bayern have conceded this year!

That was very strange from Neuer as he charged off his line and was no where near the ball as Podolski was able to head into the empty net!

GOAL! Arsenal are right back in the match as Podolski is afforded a simple close-range header into an empty net from Vermaelen's corner, with Neuer stranded as Bayern's defence is caught out!

Arsenal are bizarrely awarded a corner, which Vermaelen will whip over from the right.

It's very slow going from Arsenal as they keep the ball in their own half, and Wilshere is noticeably frustrated as he charges around.

STAT: Olivier Giroud has delivered four assists in the group stages of the Champions League this season, only Ibrahimovic has more (5). Should he be introduced now?

Wilshere misses the target with a drive from range, and Bayern look very comfortable at the back.

Kroos delivers a testing corner from the right, but the ball is glanced away from goal by Mertesacker, with Ribery unable to pick out a black shirt with his return cross.

Podolski makes a fine challenge to dispossess Alaba, and the crowd love his commitment. Bayern are straight back in possession, however.

The home fans implore their side to attack within the opening two minutes of the second half, and Wilshere produces a driving run.

The second half is under way at the Emirates, and neither side have made any changes at the break.

@hindiaalicia thinks it will end up 2-2 this evening; @W1551ns cannot see any way back for Arsenal; @JohnTedTony wants to see Rosicky and Giroud introduced; @thrill_bill wants to see Wenger send his players out in Bayern jerseys and @GrahamJacks says Arsenal are out of it. Thanks for all your contributions.

Can you see any way back for Arsenal after that first half? If so, what changes should Arsene Wenger make at the break? Get in touch via Twitter...

The half-time whistle goes at the Emirates Stadium, and Bayern Munich are very comfortable with a two-goal lead against Arsenal, who have defended quite atrociously at times. Boos ring out around the ground as the whistle is sounded.

Vermaelen makes a crucial headed clearance from inside the Arsenal box as another pinpoint cross comes over from Lahm!

There will be two added minutes as Bayern keep the ball in their own half very patiently, and they are just happy to sit back and hit Arsenal on the break.

What a chance for Bayern to make it three! Lahm delivers a stunning cross from the right to pick out Mandzukic, who rises unopposed to head agonisingly wide of the near post with Szczesny at full stretch! That looked certain to be a goal.

Wilshere is told to get to his feet as he surges through the Bayern half with a pacy run, before going over a challenge from Van Buyten.

The earlier booking which was thought to be to Mueller was in fact to Schweinsteiger, and he will miss the second leg in Munich.

Mueller does well to alleviate the pressure on the Bayern goal with a fine run down the right, but he runs out of options and crosses straight into the hands of Szczesny.

Arsenal are pushing hard in the final stages of this first half with Bayern pinned back inside their own box.

Sagna is absolutely furious with the referee as he is penalised for colliding with Martinez, and Bayern have a free kick.

Alaba slips and lets in Sagna down the Arsenal right, but the defender recovers to block a shot from Walcott!

Schweinsteiger is the next player to go into the book, and that will mean that he misses the second leg in Munich.

OPTA STAT: Arsenal had the fewest shots in this season’s group stages among the 16 teams qualified for the knockout phase (47). However, they were the most efficient, scoring every 4.7 shots.

Van Buyten makes a superb block inside the Bayern box as the ball drops to Mertesacker, who lines up a shot but cannot get it beyond the defender!

Dante goes down clutching his leg as he challenges Walcott on halfway, but he is rightly penalised for charging in late. He's perfectly okay.

Now Bayern take their turn to pass the ball around at the back, with Walcott effectively on his own in chasing helplessly.

Arsenal enjoy some good possession as they stroke the ball around at the back, with Bayern happy to sit off.

Five shots on goal, three on target, two goals: clinical Bayern. But they were really helped with that second goal.

Cazorla looks very despondent as he misplaces another pass, and Arsenal are already dropping their heads in some quarters.

Cazorla looks to play in Walcott with a precise delivery, but it's overhit and Neuer can collect. There were four defenders against the pair there.

"Come on Arsenal!" is the cry from the home fans as Walcott again picks up the ball inside the Bayern half, but he runs out of options.

A replay of Bayern's second goal shows that Van Buyten was completely unmarked as he won his header at the near post, and Mueller was unchallenged as he turned the ball in - pretty diabolical defending, really.

Wenger's players are very much playing into the hands of the visitors, surging forward at every opportunity but getting hopelessly caught out on the break.

The Bayern fans, incidentally, reacted to that second goal with a chorus of "Football's Coming Home".

Now Arteta is booked for a foul on Mandzukic, and Arsenal are in danger of losing their heads already in this tie.

Sagna is shown the yellow card for a poor challenge on Kroos, and Arsenal need to keep their heads now.

Arsenal are very much on the back foot now, and Wilshere shows his frustration with a poor challenge in the Bayern half.

GOAL! It's 2-0 as Szczesny parries a close-range flick-on from Van Buyten as he meets a corner, and Mueller is able to turn the ball home from close range! Very sloppy from Arsenal, and Bayern assume control with a two-goal early lead in this first half!

Mertesacker heads away the corner and Schweinsteiger's attempt at a lobbed follow up from outside the area loops harmlessly over the crossbar.

Bayern win another corner after another attack down Arsenal's left. Koscielny has to poke the ball out of play at the near post.

There is a slight delay as one of the 'additional assistant referees' has his microphone seen to. Oh dear...

The home fans are very quiet now as Bayern continue to keep the ball in the Arsenal half, and the early goal has really left the hosts subdued.

Bayern have now scored in each of their last 13 Champions League games, the last team to stop them from netting being Basel in February 2012.

Schweinsteiger and Alaba stand over the latest free kick, but it deflects off a Bayern player in the wall and it goes out for a goal kick.

Vermaelen is shown the yellow card for a nasty challenge on Martinez, and Bayern will have another free kick 25 yards out.

Bayern are looking extremely dangerous on the break, and Arsenal are having to defend pretty deep.

STAT: Arsenal have only lost two of their 17 knockout games at home in the Champions League (v Chelsea in April 2004 and v Manchester Utd in May 2009).

Van Buyten's effort from the resulting set piece is poor and straight into the wall, and now Arsenal can clear and build from their own half.

Kroos jinks inside of a challenge from Arteta, and he goes down 25 yards out with a dangerous free kick for the visitors...

Bayern keep the ball inside the Arsenal half with some good possession, and they are controlling the game now.

That really was a tremendous finish from Kroos, who left Szczesny with little chance. He struck the ball into the ground, but it zipped across the surface to pick out the corner of the net.

GOAL! Bayern stun the Emirates with an early goal as Mueller picks out Kroos on the edge of the box with a ball back from the right byline, and the midfielder fires a clinical finish beyond Szczesny into the corner of the net! What a start for Bayern, with the away goal.

STAT: Arsenal and Bayern have met four times before in the Champions League, with the Bavarians winning twice, Arsenal one and the other being a draw.

Walcott does very well to get down the right as Arsenal break from deep, and captain Lahm has to turn the ball behind for a corner with Podolski lurking ominously behind him.

Bayern press forward through Martinez as Wilshere loses the ball, and Mandzukic wins a corner out on the right with a pacy run and early cross.

Sagna releases Cazorla down the right, but he cannot pick out a red shirt as he cuts the ball back from the byline. Ramsey is sitting very deep at the moment.

Walcott is indeed playing down the middle for Arsenal, with Cazorla out on the right initially. Arsenal are enjoying some good early possession.

The first half is under way, and a huge roar greets the whistle! Arsenal get the ball down early on.

Heynckes and Wenger shake hands just before kick-off, and Bayern are in their all-black change strip tonight.

The players emerge from the tunnel at the Emirates, and we're all set for kick off in this huge last 16 first leg match. Mario Mandžukić has 15 goals in 19 league appearances this season - he will be leading the line for Bayern this evening.

There is one other match in the Champions League round of 16 this evening, and it sees Porto take on Malaga at the Estadio do Dragao. You can, of course, follow that match at the same time - after all, that's what tabs are for...

To confirm the team news for Bayern - Spanish midfielder Javi Martinez is the only change from the team which beat Wolfsburg as in-form Mario Mandzukic again leads the attack for last season's Champions League runners-up.

If anyone cares, here's the army of Norwegian officials used for this evening's clash: Svein Oddvar Moen (Referee); Kim Thomas Haglund, Frank Andas (Assistant referees); Ken Henry Johnsen, Dag Vidar Hafsas (Additional assistant referees); Sven Erik Midthjell (Fourth official). I think that's it - well, unless Michel Platini has employed anyone else...

Arsenal's last meeting with the German giants came at Highbury in March 2005 as the Gunners lost 3-2 on aggregate in the last 16 of the Champions League. Arsenal have, of course, gone out of Europe at the last-16 stage in the past two seasons.

Podolski, who starts this evening, made 71 league appearances, scoring 15 goals, for Bayern between 2006 and 2009. It will be a huge evening for the German international. /// @SamOlusegun believes Bayern have too much quality and will win 2-1. @Nige191 thinks Arsenal will take a 1-1 draw tonight. What do others think?

Jupp Heynckes' side, who won 2-0 at Wolfsburg last Friday, have not won in five visits to London and have lost in their last four visits to England. But they have won 10 out of 11 on their travels in the Bundesliga this season.

What a challenge this will be for Wenger's side in the wake of their FA Cup humiliation by Blackburn Rovers. Group F winners Bayern are 15 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and have not lost in 18 games in all competitions.

What do you make of the two line-ups, and what's your prediction for the score this evening? You can get in touch via Twitter...

The major team news is clearly the omission of striker Olivier Giroud for Arsenal, meaning that either Theo Walcott or Lukas Podolski will play through the centre. It looks likely to be Walcott that gets the centre forward role, while Aaron Ramsey, perhaps surprisingly, starts.

The teams are in! Arsenal: Szczęsny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Arteta, Wilshere, Walcott, Ramsey, Santi Cazorla, Podolski. Subs: Mannone, Jenkinson, Diaby, Rosický, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coquelin, Giroud. /// Bayern: Neuer, Dante, Van Buyten, Lahm, Ribéry, Javi Martínez, T. Müller, Alaba, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Mandžukić. Subs: Starke, Rafinha, Robben, Shaqiri, Luiz Gustavo, Tymoshchuk, Gomez.

Arsene Wenger: "The fact is that we've lost two of our last 11 league games. 0-0 at home is a very good result in the Champions League knockout stages, but we're an offensive team and we'll try to go forward and score goals." Would you take 0-0 this evening, Arsenal fans?

Arsenal prepare to face Bayern knowing that a defeat over two legs will ensure their wait for a trophy extends to at least nine years. While the Emirates Stadium trophy cabinet still lies bare, the players that have left have collected plenty of silverware since the summer of 2005. But how much?

We asked our offices from around the continent to give us their predictions ahead of the big game, and you can read who Europe thinks will advance to the quarter-finals – including the opinions of both the British and German Eurosport offices.

Welcome to live text commentary of Arsenal's Champions League last 16, first leg match against Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium.