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The league leaders Arsenal travel to the capital of Wales to take on the fifteenth placed Cardiff City. Although Cardiff City have won just 1 of their last 6 Premier League matches (W1 D2 L3), they drew against Manchester United & Everton while won against Manchester City at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Arsenal bounced back after the Old Trafford defeat with a victory over in-form Southampton at the Emirates last weekend. That loss against Manchester United ended the Gunner’s 10 match unbeaten away run in the Premier League (W9 D1). Only in 2007-08 and 2003-04 (30) have Arsenal had more points after 12 matches of a Premier League season than they have collected so far this campaign (28).
The player to watch out for the Bluebirds is Frazier Campbell. The Huddersfield born striker joined Cardiff at the start of the year from Sunderland & has already scored against both the Manchester giants this season. Out of the 6 matches that Cardiff have played at home, they have won, lost & draw 2 each & kept clean sheets in 2 of them. In those 6 matches, they have scored & conceded 7 times.
Aaron Ramsey returns to where it all started for him. He made 16 league appearances for Cardiff City before being signed from the Welsh side by Arsenal in 2008. He also made six league appearances on loan in 2011. The Welsh Wonderboy has scored 6 goals so far this season in the Premier League & also has 4 assists to his name.
TEAM News:
- Cardiff City: There are no injury woes for the Bluebirds & Malky Mackay is expected to field the same team that played against Manchester United. Andreas Cornelius may get a start ahead of Craig Bellamy.
- Arsenal: Wenger don’t have any fresh injury concerns as Kieran Gibbs return to the side following an illness in midweek. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain & Abou Diaby are the long term absentees as Lukas Podolski is 3 weeks away from making a return.
OPTA Stats:
- Cardiff have allowed their opponents more shots on target against them than any other team in the top flight this season (75).
- Arsenal are unbeaten in the last 11 matches in all competitions against Cardiff City, winning 6 and drawing 5.
- Peter Odemwingie has scored in two of his three Premier League starts against Arsenal.
- Only one of Olivier Giroud’s 18 Premier League goals has been scored outside London.
- Only one of Arsenal’s last 22 Premier League opponents has managed to score more than one goal in a game against the Gunners (Aston Villa, 3-1 in August).
- Aaron Ramsey has made more tackles than any other player in the Premier League this season (57).
- Cardiff City have only beaten the Gunners twice in the last 86 years.
- The last time these two sides met was in 2009 at the Emirates Stadium in the FA Cup game, resulting in a thumping 4-0 victory for Arsenal.
Match Appointments
- Referee: Lee Mason.
- Assistants: L Betts, M McDonough.
- Fourth Official: R East.
