Olivier Giroud
Olivier Giroud will head to his former home, Montpellier, eager to get off the mark for new club Arsenal. Reuters

When and where: The Champions League Group B clash kicks-off from the Stade de la Mosson at 2.45 p.m. ET. Coverage will be provided by Fox Soccer Plus, with a live stream available via FoxSoccer2Go.

Preview: Arsenal recommence their quest for a first ever Champions League crown when they travel to face French champions Montpellier on Tuesday. The Gunners couldn't be in better spirits for their first European game of the season after a 6-1 victory over Southampton at the weekend.

After beginning their campaign with two goalless draws following the departures of Robin van Persie and Alex Song, a sense of malaise was engulfing the Emirates. But with new signings Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski making promising starts to their Arsenal careers, there is optimism for a title challenge at home and perhaps even for a serious tilt at the elusive European prize,

While Cazorla and Podolski have already shone, the third major new arrival of the summer, Olivier Giroud, has thus far struggled to make a positive impact. The script may be written, though, for the France international to register his first goal for the Gunners against the club he fired to their first ever Ligue 1 title last season.

In the absence of Giroud, Montpellier have struggled badly in the opening weeks of the new campaign. A 3-1 defeat at newly defeated Reims on Friday leaves Montpellier with just four points from five games. After their latest defeat, coach Rene Girard left no one in any doubt regarding his feelings about his team.

"We should be ashamed of ourselves," he said, according to ESPN. "For the first time, I am asking a lot of questions of myself. They [the players] have forgotten some values."

Key to Montpellier's chances against Arsenal will be the creative talents of Younes Belhanda. The Morocco international excelled last season and was linked with several Premier League clubs, including the Gunners, over the summer.0

Perhaps the most intriguing battle at the Stade de la Mosson will be Giroud--presuming he gets the start--against his former team mate and fellow-France international Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

Arsenal have concerns in goal heading to France. Both Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianksi are out injured, meaning Vito Mannone will get the start between the sticks. Arsene Wenger should bring back Abou Diaby into the midfield after he missed out on Saturday following an injury picked up while on international duty with France.

The influence of Wenger, himself, though, will be missing, as the Frenchman serves the first of his three-match European suspension for confronting the referee following Arsenal's exit to Milan in last season's Champions League.

Montpellier (probable)

G: Jourden

D: Bocaly, Hilton, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bedimo

M: Saihi, Estrada

Camara, Belhanda, Ait-Fana

F: Herrera

Arsenal (probable)

G: Mannone

D: Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs

M: Diaby, Arteta

Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Podolski

F: Giroud

Prediction: Montpellier may be in desperate form domestically, but there is the sense that one of the reasons for their slow start is an undue focus on their first Champions League campaign. At home, against a European stalwart like Arsenal, every home player is sure to have maximum motivation.

Yet there appears to be greater steel about Arsenal this season and their greater quality should allow them to do a professional job and come away with a valuable three points.

Montpellier 0-1 Arsenal