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With the Premier League entering the business end of its fixtures, every game in the run-in is as important as the next. Ditto Arsenal versus Everton at the Emirates Stadium today evening.
With the Gunners still not guaranteed a Champions League berth come the end of the season and Everton jousting for a place in Europe come next August, both sides will be intent on stamping their authority on this game. Third-placed Arsenal have played a game more than fourth-placed Chelsea, who were knocked out of the FA Cup after Manchester City beat them 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday night.
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Everton, on the other hand, have played the same number of games as the Gunners and sit in sixth, three points below Arsenal’s North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who will face Manchester City this weekend. The Merseysiders’ city rivals Liverpool have played a game more and are five points behind David Moyes’ men.
Form
Arsenal: WWWWW
13/04/2013: Norwich City, 3-1 (H), Barclays Premier League
06/04/2013: West Bromwich Albion, 2-1 (A), Barclays Premier League
30/03/2013: Reading, 4-1 (H), Barclays Premier League
16/03/2013: Swansea City, 2-0 (A), Barclays Premier League
13/03/2013: Bayern Munich, 2-0 (A), UEFA Champions League
Having been labelled potential chokers in the past, the Gunners will be hoping to take their recent form which has now seen them maintain a winning streak since the 13th of March last month. Many players at Ashburton Grove attribute this run to an embarrassing defeat away at Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in the North London Derby, where the visitors conceded two tame goals as they lost 2-1.
Should they wish to perform well and consolidate third – and if possible, aim for second – they will need to beat Everton at home. A task which should be relatively easy. In their past five meetings at the Emirates Stadium, Arsene Wenger’s men have won four and drawn one, picking up thirteen points out of a potential fifteen.
The last time Arsenal entertained Everton at the Emirates, they won 1-0 courtesy Robin van Persie’s goal twenty minutes from time.
Everton: WWWWL
13/04/2013: Queens Park Rangers, 2-0 (H), Barclays Premier League
07/04/2013: Tottenham Hotspur, 2-2 (A), Barclays Premier League
30/03/2013: Stoke City, 1-0 (H), Barclays Premier League
16/03/2013: Manchester City, 2-0 (H), Barclays Premier League
09/03/2013: Wigan Athletic, 0-3 (H), The FA Cup
The Toffees’ recent form has ensured that their fans quickly forget that FA Cup debacle at Goodison Park. The Liverpudlians are unbeaten in the league since the second of March and have shown a grit and determination that far belies their perennial underdog status.
Two memorable results that come to mind are their 2-0 home win over Premier League defending champions Manchester City where Nikica Jelavic and Leon Osman netted after the hosts were reduced to ten men when Steven Pienaar was sent off. At White Hart Lane, Kevin Mirallas and Phil Jagielka put the Toffees 2-1 up before Gylfi Sigurdsson struck late in stoppage time to give Spurs a share of the spoils.
The last time Everton beat Arsenal was in March 2007, when Andy Johnson grabbed a winner in second half injury time to claim all three points, but what will be encouraging for the visitors is that they have collected 13 points in their last 15 games, their best-ever haul in the Premier League since a similar spell in October-November 2002.
Team News
Arsenal
Normally known to have a treatment room filled with injured players, the only long-term absentee is Abou Diaby. The France international will be out for a period of eight to nine months with an ACL rupture.
Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is a doubt for this game, having injured his ribs against Norwich. Fellow Poland international Wojciech Szczesny is expected to take his place in goal. Tomas Rosicky is also available after shaking off a hamstring complaint which kept him out of the Norwich game.
Germany defender Per Mertesacker returns to the fold after serving out a suspension for picking up a red card against West Bromwich Albion.
Squad (from): Wojciech Szczesny, Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker, Thomas Vermaelen (c), Laurent Koscielny, Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta, Lukas Podolski, Jack Wilshere, Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey, Nacho Monreal, Sebastien Squillaci, Santi Cazorla, Lukasz Fabianski, Francis Coquelin, Andrei Arshavin, Vito Mannone, Carl Jenkinson, Yao Gervinho, Kieran Gibbs, Ignasi Miquel
Probable Starting XI: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Arteta, Cazorla, Ramsey; Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Giroud
Everton
The Toffees have several players returning from injury. Most of these problems are bruises and should therefore be okay if given the once-over.
David Moyes could have defender Alan Stubbs back into the fold after he featured for the U-21s against Middlesbrough yesterday. Should Steven Pienaar play today evening, the South African would have chalked up 200 Premier League appearances, while United States international Tim Howard will be earning his 300th Premier League cap.
Squad (from): Tim Howard, Leighton Baines, Seamus Coleman, Sylvain Distin, Phil Jagielka (c), Kevin Mirallas, Darren Gibson, Marouane Fellaini, Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman, Victor Anichebe, Nikica Jelavic, Steven Naismith, John Heitinga, Bryan Oviedo, Alan Stubbs, Ross Barkley, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Jan Mucha
Probable Starting XI: Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines; Fellaini, Pienaar, Osman, Naismith, Anichebe; Mirallas
Key Men
Arsenal: Mikel Arteta
The calming influence in an otherwise sparky Arsenal midfield, former Everton man Arteta has had to reign in his attacking displays as he adopts a more defensive role. A man who will be familiar with Moyes’ tactics, he will need to imprint himself on his game as the Gunners attempt to construct a strong foundation from which they can attack.
He is also an excellent set-piece taker and possesses an explosive right foot.
Everton: Marouane Fellaini
A beast of a player, whose team mates sometimes resolve to pulling his rather large afro in training to stymie him at set-pieces, Belgium midfielder Fellaini has been central to Everton’s performances and rise up the table this season. His direct running, physical strength, prowess both on the ball and danger from set pieces makes him a very obvious threat.
He has also scored twelve goals and contributed nine assists in all competitions for his club this season.
Prediction
The Gunners’ confidence is sky-high, but so is that of the visitors. Home comforts should give Arsenal a win but that is no reason for them to display any complacency that could allow Everton a way in to capture three points in North London.
Arsenal 2-1 Everton
