Arsenal got an early repayment from Cologne as they sealed a spot in the Europa League knockout stages.
The Gunners were left grateful to the Germans for beating BATE Borisov to ensure this bore draw against Red Star was enough to go through.
After the damage Cologne’s fans caused at the Emirates in September, which they have to pay Arsenal for after being charged by UEFA, giving the Londoners a helping hand was the least they could do.
And Arsene Wenger’s men needed assistance after failing to produce a display good enough to get the job done on their own and being booed off. The two keepers were a big reason for the stalemate. Red Star’s Milan Borjan twice frustrated the man who beat him late on in the first game between the sides, Olivier Giroud. He kicked a close-range effort from Giroud clear and then got the better of the France star in a one-on-one.
And Arsenal’s Matt Macey, on his European debut, matched Borjan’s efforts with a pair of
full-stretch saves.
The 6ft 7in youngster stood tall to tip Slavoljub Srnic’s effort over before pushing Vujadin Savic’s header on to the bar.
Macey should have had no chance just before the break when Richmond Boakye bore down on goal, but the Red Star striker fluffed his lines.
Arsenal continued to toil after the break, but Jack Wilshere looked all set to end his day on a high note after his England snub when he wriggled into the box down the left.
But his clever effort, lifted casually over Borjan, was hooked off the line by Damien Le Tallec.
Boss Wenger then turned to new young hope Eddie Nketiah off the bench to try and find a winner.
But there was to be no repeat of the heroics he produced against Norwich a week ago.
Recap all of the action as it happened below.
5 talking points
Arsenal booked their place in the last-32 of the Europa League following an uninspiring 0-0 draw at home to Red Star Belgrade.
The Gunners enjoyed the majority of possession before the break, but it was the visitors who enjoyed the best chances, with goalkeeper Matt Macey tipping a Vujan Savic shot over the bar before Richmond Boakye’s shot wide when through on goal.
Giroud went close for the hosts, but Milan Borjan rushed out and was able to snuff out the danger.
Arsene Wenger’s men pressed in the second half, but again failed to carve out any decent chances. Red Star had another clear chance to score with ten minutes remaining, but Boakye again shot wide.
But with Cologne winning against Bate Borisov, the point was enough for Arsenal to seal their place in the knockout stage.
Our man Steve Stammers was at the Emirates and here are his five talking points.
Into the last 15 minutes...
Will we get a moment of inspiration from either of these two?
Arsenal getting closer
Just past the hour mark and the hosts are enjoying a good spell.
Can they take advantage?
Giroud chance in pictures
Here’s the moment that Olivier Giroud went close for the Gunners...
HALF-TIME: Arsenal 0-0 Red Star
So, no goals in the first half then.
The hosts enjoyed the majority of the possession but were unable to do much with it, which meant that Red Star had the better chances.
Arsenal have Matt Macey to thank for not conceding after the young stopper tipped a Vujan Savic effort onto the bar. Richmond Boakye had an excellent change to open the scoring, too.
Ten minutes until half-time
Ten minutes to go until the break and we’re still locked at 0-0.
Had Borjan been slow off his line just then, Giroud would have put the Gunners 1-0 up.
20 minutes gone
Not a blockbuster start as we approach the halfway point of the first half.
Arsenal look comfortable, passing it around in an Arsenal way, without troubling the visitors just yet.
10 minutes in
There’s ten minutes in the books at the Emirates and aside from the Walcott change where he fired over, nothing too much to shout about.
Warm-ups in full flow
The warm-ups are well underway at the Emirates.
A big night for Jack Wilshere, who will look to build on his exemplary performance in the reverse fixture.
Matt Macey is in goal for the Gunners and will also be looking to prove his worth to Arsene Wenger.
Red Star fans making noise!
A little clip from earlier of the Red Star Belgrade fans making their way out of King’s Cross.
Safe to say that if they are like that all night, it will be a very, very noisy atmosphere.
There’s thousands of them!
Lampard on Arsenal's best bit of business this summer
Frank Lampard believes Arsenal’s decision to keep hold of Olivier Giroud was the club’s best bit of business in the summer transfer window.
The Gunners strengthened their side by bringing in two big players in Alexandre Lacazette - the club’s record buy - and Sead Kolasinac, who they signed on a free.
But despite both players hitting the ground running - particularly Kolasinac, who has been a stand-out performer for the Gunners this season - Lampard believes their best bit of business was maintaining the squad they have.
The ground filling up nicely
The fans are slowly but surely making their way to the Emirates for tonight’s game.
Plenty of representation from Serbia from the Red Star Belgrade fans, who are visibly excited about the prospect of a big upset in London.
It’s a full house too, so the atmosphere should be lively.
Kick-off just over 30 minutes away.
Team news is in
We have our team news.
Elneny is in at the back again alongside Debuchy and Holding in a much-changed XI from Wenger, with Giroud leading the line up front.
Carabao Cup goal hero Eddie Nketiah is on the bench.
Here’s how Wenger will send his side out...
Arsenal: Macey, Debuchy, Elneny, Holding; Nelson, Willock, Coquelin, Maitland-Niles; Walcott, Wilshere; Giroud.
Subs: Cech, Osei-Tutu, Sheaf, Dasilva, McGuane, Akpom, Mketiah
Red Star Belgrade: Borjan, Stojkovic, Le Tallec, Savic Gobeljic, Krsticic, Donald, Srnic, Kanga, Radonjic, Boakye.
Subs: Supic, Frimpong, Racic, Hadzic, Babic, Milic, Pesic.
Arsenal's Luan chances hit
Arsenal and Liverpool’s hopes of signing Brazilian star Luan have been dealt a massive blow.
The Gunners and the Reds had been hoping to lure the Gremio striker to the Premier League with deals worth £26million.
But ‘the new Ronaldinho’, who quit football in 2009 to play futsal professionally, has decided to stay in his home country after agreeing a new deal until 2020.
Spartak Moscow saw a £30m bid rejected for Luan in the summer.
Why Ozil and Sanchez are holding Wilshere back
Arsene Wenger believes Jack Wilshere’s first team chances are being hampered by Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez - because the pair are playing in his position.
The 25-year-old, who was shipped out on loan to Bournemouth last season, has struggled for game time since returning to Arsenal, only making starts in both the League Cup and Europa League.
Despite impressing when he’s played, Wilshere has still only managed 13 Premier League minutes this season.
Speaking prior to Arsenal’s clash against Red Star Belgrade on Thursday, Wenger explained why Wilshere has lacked first team chances in the league.
Visiting boss backs Wenger's team selection
Red Star Belgrade boss Vladan Milojevic has backed Arsene Wenger’s decision to rest his key players in this season’s Europa League.
The Serbian SuperLiga side face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night looking to take a positive result and keep their hopes of progressing from Group H alive.
Arsenal will qualify for the round of 32 if they can repeat their victory in Belgrade a fortnight ago, where an Olivier Giroud goal settled the game in favour of the visitors.
Giroud, as well as the likes of Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Petr Cech played at the Rajko Mitic Stadium alongside a host of fringe players and youngsters as Wenger continues to shuffle his pack.
Players such as Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette and Alexis Sanchez are being saved for Premier League action - particularly with a trip to pacesetters Manchester City on Sunday - and Milojevic insists he is not disappointed that his side will not be tested against Arsenal’s biggest names.
“I think last time after the first match in Belgrade, the Arsenal squad proved it is much bigger than ours and they have quality players and they all deserve to play in the first team,” he said.