Alexis Sanchez stunner unable to hide night of shame at The Emirates

Well that is all we have time for on what has been quite a night at The Emirates. The attention now turns to Uefa and what action they could now take against both Arsenal and Cologne after an organisational calamity. But until next time, it's a very goodnight.

Full time: Arsenal 3-1 FC Cologne

On an eventful night, Arsenal hold on and get the points which ensures they start their Europa League campaign on a winning note. Jhon Cordoba had threatened to cause a shock but goals from Sead Kolasinac, Alexis Sanchez and Hector Bellerin completed the comeback in the second half. The less said about the Gunners' display the better however, they were distinctly average in a first half in which Cologne more than held their own.

Reiss Nelson on for his debut, replacing Theo Walcott for the last seven minutes. Fair to saw the England man was woeful tonight.

GOAL! Arsenal 3-1 FC Cologne (Hector Bellerin)

Arsenal secure the points via a nicely worked third goal. Kolasinac's cross comes through to Walcott, who is denied by Horn but on the follow-up Hector Bellerin arrives on cue to slot into the corner for his first of the season. After a bumpy start, it looks like being all three points for the hosts.

Alexis Sanchez curls home a brilliant second to put Arsenal ahead.

Which comes to nothing. Arsenal have at least temporarily sorted themselves out at the back.

Sanchez tries to repeat the trick from earlier this time from a free-kick, but Horn gets down to it well. The boyhood Arsenal fan has had no chance with either or the goals tonight.

Ospina finally makes a save, keeping out Cordoba as he raced in on goal. Nacho Monreal at fault there. Corner Cologne...

Sead Kolasinac celebrates drawing Arsenal level.

Amid the celebrations, Jack Wilshere has made his Arsenal comeback, replacing Alex Iwobi for the final 20 minutes or so.

GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 FC Cologne (Alexis Sanchez)

Alexis Sanchez back with a bang to put Arsenal ahead for the first time. The Chilean is put away down the left. He is forced wide but cuts back inside and despite being closed down he whips a shot superbly inside the far post, with Horn motionless. Fabulous strike and some way to re-announce yourself to the home faithful on his first start since deadline day.

Chance for Arsenal to take the lead for the first time. Ainsley Maitland-Niles goes through on goal, tries to round Horn but the German cuts the ball out and the opportunity is gone.

Meanwhile, Jack Wilshere is preparing for his first Arsenal appearance for 13 months.

The Cologne fans have stirred again and are bellowing from the away end as they attempt a rare attack. They go again with the substitute Milos Jojic but his strike is saved well by Ospina. An hour gone, and pretty even it must be said.

Better from Arsenal since the break with Cologne barely getting a sniff of the ball. The away support have calmed down a fraction too, until Ospina gets a glimse of the I'd expect.

And right on cue the 'keeper receives a slow pass-back from Monreal ad almost presents the ball straight to Zoller. Look forward to hearing Arsene Wenger defend his display tonight.

GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 FC Cologne (Sead Kolasinac)

The equaliser has hardly been coming but Arsenal are level just after the restart. Theo Walcott breaks in behind but when his control takes him wide, he attempts a cross which is charged down but Kolasinac, with virtually his first touch, takes it first time on the volley and smashes it past Horn.

59,359 'tickets sold' at The Emirates tonight. No information as whom to.

Second half underway.

Teams back out at The Emirates. Sead Kolasinac is coming on for the home side. Rob Holding, who had a bit of a stinker of a first half, is replaced.

Half time: Arsenal 0-1 FC Cologne

Goodness. Quite an evening of football and we're only half way through. Let me bring you up to speed if you're only just joining us, thinking we would have reached full time and be ready for an early night.

The match at The Emirates Stadium was delayed by 60 minutes after crowd trouble in north London. Ticketless Cologne fans are alleged to have attempted to break into the stadium and clashes with police have broken out.

The reality is many of them have succeeded in entering The Emirates having purchased tickets for the Arsenal end of the stadium. The allocation of 3,000 has swelled to at least double that, with fans dotted all around the ground. The atmosphere has been electric.

The game itself has not been short of drama either. Jhon Cordoba netted a superb opener early on after a horrible error from David Ospina. Arsenal have been unable to respond and have been, though perhaps understandably, slow out of the traps.

Cologne have been the story on and off the pitch tonight, and are threatening to leave London with more than just a slap on the wrist from Uefa. I'm off for an orange and a lie down.

Finally some neat interplay in the Cologne defensive third as Sanchez feeds Maitland-Niles, but his cross is easily cleared as Giroud stands and stares. He has been almost anonymous.

Change for Cologne as Jonas Hector - you'll know him from a transfer rumour column or two if not from anywhere else - is replaced by Milos Jojic. Ten minutes until half time.

Cologne threaten again when Ospina spills a cross from the left as Zoller threw himself at the ball. He failed to make contact but the whistle had already gone for an offside. The Costa Rica goalkeeper is in for a roasting in this second half in front of the travelled support.

Cologne fans begin the celebrations as their team takes the lead.

Jhon Córdoba celebrates putting Cologne into a shock lead.

It says a lot about the way teams in England are supported that we're all captivated by the Cologne support and the energy they are putting in to supporting their team.

Meanwhile, one Cologne fan has been ejected from the Arsenal end. It took seven security men to remove him. Not sure that was worth it.

Talking of things that weren't worth bothering about, Theo Walcott has just fired Arsenal's best chance wide. Cologne remain ahead mid-way through the first half.

Possibly among the reasons for the Arsenal ends [which remain] being so empty is down to those supporters who tried to get in but simply gave up. Among those which have persevered in a family of five who have just sat down in front of me, which includes three young children. There may be a great atmosphere inside The Emirates, but there are some victims of what has been at best an organisational mess.

Arsenal have been really sloppy in this opening 15 minutes, even aside from the goal. Cologne almost bundle in a second as Zoller brings the ball down but it eventually runs through to Ospina.

Arsenal fans are continuing to call out their German counterparts who are in isolation in the home end. Granted, they shouldn't be there but they're causing no harm. Goals should be celebrated.

GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Cologne (Jhon Córdoba)

Oh my.

Cologne take the lead in circumstances in keeping with their remarkable evening. David Ospina comes out to clear an overhit through pass but miss-hits it, only finding Jhon Córdoba who spins and takes aim first time from fully 40 yards, sending the ball into the corner.

The goal sparks scenes of celebration in every corner of The Emirates, leading to many Arsenal fans demanding they be ejected. Those complaints fall on deaf ears. Naturally, more flares are lit in the away end.

Two flares lit inside the first five minutes in the Cologne end. Police quickly intervene. The game has started at a good pace as well, but it is hard not to be drawn to the overspilled away end.

The match is underway in north London. Cologne fans creating a biblical noise in the away/home end.

Both sets of players are out on the field and we're ready to go at The Emirates. We're an hour behind schedule but we finally have a game. Cologne fans drowning out the home faithful.

This is where the core of the Cologne fans are situated. They're making some noise as their team is read out. The rest of The Emirates is silent.

Fair to say that bar what is now an extended away end, the rest of the stadium is more of less empty. Very little of the actual home allocation has been taken up. Begs the question why Cologne's allocation was not increased.

Far be it from me to appear as if I am condoning the actions of Cologne fans in trying to storm into the stadium earlier tonight, but it is nice to have something resembling an atmosphere before kick-off at The Emirates.

And for any avoidance of doubt, German fans are everywhere, particularly on the lower tier both at the Clock End and by the tunnel just by the press box.

The latest from Arsenal is the game is still going ahead as planned. A spokesman said it would be the "safest option" for the match to be played, despite the droves of away fans in home areas of the stadium.

The HOME section at The Emirates....

Talks underway over whether match will indeed be played. Less than 45 minutes until the scheduled kick-off time.

Riot police deployed at The Emirates in an attempt to control the Cologne fans.

Given the amount of Cologne fans who have clearly got hold of tickets in the Arsenal end, Uefa will surely be asking questions.

No doubt there was a considerable amount of frustration inside The Emirates press room upon kick-off being put back an hour, but that has been replaced by a feeling a real story is developing here in north London. Police have yet to full restore order inside the stadium, though it appears any trouble outside has been extinguished.

It is quiet obvious that a significant amount of Cologne fans are dotted in and around The Emirates, many clashing with police and stewards in an attempt to break into the away end. This game could be jeopardy if police do not regain control.

Order does appear to have been restored outside the ground, with fans finally being allowed in. Inside however, Cologne supporters with tickets in the home end are attempting to jump the barrier between both sets of fans and join their counterparts. Stewards are attempting to stand between them but their attempts are futile.

It is hard enough to tell the difference between fans and 'journalists' these days.

This is now turning to a rather sour night for all concerned. Video emerges of Arsenal and Cologne fans fighting prior to the game.

There are now unconfirmed reports that discussions are ongoing regarding whether to abandon the game. The Emirates is still deserted as police continue to hold fans outside. Kick-off is still scheduled for 9:05pm having been put back an hour.

Those earlier reports of Cologne fans storming the turnstiles at The Emirates have been substantiated by an unverified video which has appeared on Twitter of supporters attempting to break in.

Far be it from me to judge the policing of a high-profile sports fixture, but this incident does raise a number of questions.

The first being why Cologne's allocation is only 3,000 to begin with, particularly for a game which is not expected to sell out.

The second is why were German fans allowed to travel to London without tickets, let alone get close enough to the ground to try and force their way in? This is a measure which is regularly controlled around Europe, so why not tonight?

Did Cologne specifically ask fans not to travel without tickets? Their Twitter page is hardly full of warnings.

Order does appear to have been restored, judging by this video by ESPN's Miguel Delaney.

A sign of the frustration from the Everton side, who must be wishing their game was called off altogether. The Toffees trail 3-0 to Atalanta.

Supporters are now being released in groups towards the stadium in order to gain entry. The ground is near-enough deserted at the moment but it is relatively calm outside. Unsettling for all involved, given the current climate.

More on reports fans tried to storm the turnstiles at The Emirates.

Here is more on this developing story from German journalist Matt Ford.

The official line coming out of Arsenal for the reason for the delay to kick-off is that home fans are unable to get into the stadium due to the large amount of away fans who have made their way to The Emirates, many of whom are without tickets.

It has been reported that nearly 20,000 have made the trip to London for the game, despite the club having an allocation of just 3,000. They have all gathered outside the ground and are preventing fans from entering the ground in time for the game.

Kick-off has been put back to 9:05pm.

BREAKING NEWS

Kick-off at The Emirates Stadium delayed by 60 minutes. More as we get it.....

And here are the infographics. All is right with the world.

Two changes for Cologne from their 3-0 loss to Augsberg. Jorge Meré and Konstantin Rausch come in for Frederik Sorensen and Yuya Osako.

All the talk at The Emirates is over Reiss Nelson, who is denied his Arsenal debut but is among the substitutes tonight. He played in the Emirates Cup during pre-season and is highly thought of in north London, not to mention has pace to burn.

So the big news is Alexis Sanchez starts for the first time since failing to secure a move to Manchester City. Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud and David Ospina are also in from the outset for the first time. Ainsley Maitland-Niles makes just his fifth start for the club. Jack Wilshere makes the bench.

The Arsenal team has dropped. No infographic, so a text version will have to do for now.....

Arsenal: Ospina; Holding, Mertesacker, Monreal; Bellerin, Iwobi, Elneny, Maitland-Niles; Walcott, Giroud, Sanchez

Cologne only have a small allocation at The Emirates tonight but around 20,000 are said to have made the trip. This is a small insight into the significance of the game for them, their first in Europe for a quarter of a century.

So how will Arsenal line-up tonight.

It is easier to start with the omissions. Petr Cech, Laurent Koscielny, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Granit Xhaka, Danny Welbeck and Alexandre Lacazette have all been rested ahead of the trip to Chelsea.

Alexis Sanchez could start for the first time since his failed deadline day move, while Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and David Ospina are in line for their first starts of the season. Reiss Nelson and Joe Willock could make their debuts.

The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that Arsenal are not the only English side in action in the Europa League tonight. Everton are in Italy to face Atalanta but Ronald Koeman's side are in trouble and trail 3-0 heading into half time. An awful night for the Merseysiders.

There is no doubt a subdued atmosphere around The Emirates tonight ahead of the club's first game in the Europa League since 2000. This is really not where Arsenal want to be, but they're better off making the best of it rather than moaning. The same goes for their supporters.

If the feeling for foreboding did not hit Arsenal fans at the end of last season, tonight but just be when the reality of being in the Europa League will hit home. After 20 years of qualifying for the Champions League, the Gunners are back in Europe's second tier club competition a competition they haven't 'graced' for 17 years.

On that occasion they reached the final, losing on penalties to Galatasaray, and given their league form so far and the visit of Chelsea to come this weekend they might need similar success if they're to return to the Champions League next season.

Arsene Wenger has played down the significance of the competition - something that will also be reflected in his team - but the reality is with six sides challenging for four positions in Europe's premier competition, a back-door route could be the best option. Just ask the holders Manchester United.

Cologne arrive in north London awaiting their first European campaign for 25 years and their fans, if you've been in and around the capital this afternoon, are going to soak up ever sinew of the occasion. They are bottom of the Bundesliga after three straight defeats, so they could teach Arsenal a thing or two about a crisis.

Team news and all the build-up ahead of the 8:05pm kick-off on the way.