The Premier League title race is really hotting up, and two of the most likely candidates to lift the trophy will meet on Sunday, with Arsenal hosting Leicester City in a noon kick-off.
There's little doubt that while the Foxes continue to dumbfound onlookers at their ability to win matches, this will be their toughest challenge of all, but having just beaten Liverpool and Manchester City, Leicester won't be overly worried about this fixture either. Indeed, having beaten City, there's an argument to say this game is almost a freebie for Leicester: They are top by five points and will remain top even if Arsenal beat them.
For Arsenal, the reverse is true. They've lost more than double the games Leicester have this season and have scored fewer; if they want to end up winning a long-overdue title, they have no option but to beat the league leaders this weekend.
With a few players coming back from injury for manager Arsene Wenger, he has room to change the team and tactics if he decides it's worthwhile, but once again, his failure to really act in the transfer market this winter—Mohamed Elneny aside—will come under enormous scrutiny if they don't come up with the answers to beat Leicester.
The stakes couldn't be much higher, and the Gunners have to go all-out for the victory. They could end the weekend as the biggest challengers to Leicester's top spot...or in fourth, well out of the race.
Date: Sunday, 14 February
Time: 12 p.m. GMT/7 a.m. ET
Venue: The Emirates Stadium, London
TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK), NBCSN, Telemundo (USA)
Live Commentary: Live sports
The Teams
Arsenal have lost ground in recent weeks, with just one win in five in the Premier League. Even so, the only defeat they suffered in that run was at home to Chelsea—and it has to be noted that Arsenal aren't exactly setting the Emirates on fire with attacking performances this term. Just 16 goals in 12 home fixtures won't scare off Leicester, who have 26 away from home.
That said, Wenger's team have kept clean sheets in their last two matches, a win over Bournemouth and a draw against Southampton.
Leicester have won three on the spin—Stoke, Liverpool, Manchester City—to very much get over an earlier sticky patch that saw only one win from seven in all competitions, spanning the Christmas and new year fixtures.
Why should I feel pressure? We are chasing a dream with our fans and nobody should wake us up. In some ways the game against Norwich in two weeks will be more difficult than this. But every game is tough. There are no easy matches. It's a 12-point gap (to fifth place and) for us to achieve the Champions League would be fantastic. Arsenal are under lots of pressure because Arsenel has spent a lot.
Team News
Arsenal are getting numbers back from injury, with Mikel Arteta and Francis Coquelin returning to the squad in midfield recently. JackWilshere is back in training but has not yet been in a matchday squad, and the same goes for Santi Cazorla.
Tomas Rosicky is out due to a thigh injury and may not play again this season. With his contract at Arsenal up in the summer, he may not play again for the team at all.
For Leicester, Matty James (knee) and Jeffrey Schlupp (thigh) have both missed games in recent weeks due to injury and will probably sit out again.
Neither side have any suspensions pending.
Ticket News
Per the Arsenal website, the match at the Emirates is completely sold out. The stadium holds just over 60,000 spectators.
Player to Watch: Riyad Mahrez (LEI)
There are plenty of Arsenal names to watch, of course, but for the defining way the game should be played out, Mahrez is key to Leicester's ability to break lines and overload on the counter. He will cut in incessantly and, if he isn't closed down, will get at least a couple of shots away on goal.
Nacho Monreal certainly won't have the pace to keep up with him if the two come together down that channel, so expect Laurent Koscielnyto be kept very busy covering across for his full-back to stem the threat of Mahrez's dribbling and pace.
He, not Jamie Vardy, will likely be Leicester's biggest threat in this game—unless the striker fancies coming up with another 40-yard effort, of course.
Comment and Give your predictions
0 comments:
Post a Comment