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Arsenal have the chance to go top of the Premier League if they beat West Brom at The Hawthorns on Saturday. The Gunners start the weekend behind Manchester City on goal difference, with City facing Liverpool later in the day. Arsene Wenger's side missed out on the chance to go two points clear before the international break when they were held at home by north London rivals Tottenham.
However, they will be hoping to get back on track at ahead of a favourable run of fixtures that sees them face three teams in the current bottom six before they travel to Manchester City on 21 December. Wenger says he expects a physical game against the Baggies, who have lost their last two top-flight matches against Leicester City and Manchester United. The back-to-back defeats have seen the Baggies slip to 13th in the table, with their scoring total of 10 goals the joint-worst in the league.
Kickoff and Live Telecast
Channel: StarSports HD1
Live Stream: starsports.com
Date and Time: Saturday, 21 November 2015 – 20:30 IST (15:00 GMT)
Venue: The Hawthorns, West Midlands
Team News
West Bromwich Albion: Gareth McAuley is suspended for West Brom after his red card against Manchester United so James Chester and Jonas Olsson could start. Chester has struggled to break into the Baggies side since his summer move from Hull City and voiced his frustration following Wales' 3-2 defeat to Holland last week.
Ben Foster remains sidelined with a knee injury but is closing in on a return after being out since March and remains boss Tony Pulis' only injury worry with Chris Brunt expected to be fit after a groin problem. Serge Gnabry will not be available due to the terms of his loan deal though he has rarely featured under Pulis regardless.
Arsenal: Laurent Koscielny and Olivier Giroud will be assessed by Arsene Wenger after playing for France during the international break. Wenger says defender Koscielny, in particular, appeared affected in Tuesday's match with England at Wembley.
Right-back Hector Bellerin is available following a groin problem, but midfielders Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Aaron Ramsey (both hamstring) remain out and forward Theo Walcott (calf) is not expected back for "one or two weeks". Meanwhile, Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere remain sidelined with long term injuries.
Probable lineups
West Bromwich Albion (4-4-2): Myhill, Chester, Dawson, Evans, Brunt, Sessegnon, Fletcher, Yacob, Morrison, Berahino, Rondon
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Monreal, Cazorla, Coquelin, Sanchez, Ozil, Campbell, Giroud
Form
West Bromwich Albion: A challenging two months for Pulis’s side got off to a less than ideal start at Old Trafford when a resilient Baggies were eventually broken down by two goals from Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata after Saido Berahino had missed a great opportunity to claim a point.
Indeed many of West Brom’s problems so far this season have come in front of goal, with their record of just 10 goals in 12 games the joint-worst in the Premier League. They may struggle to improve that against an Arsenal side whose nine goals conceded, only bettered by Manchester United. They have let in just two goals in their last five Premier League games, one of which came in a 1-1 draw against Tottenham before the North London Derby.
Last 5 games: L-W-W-L-L (Last match: Manchester United 2-0 West Bromwich Albion)
Arsenal: The Gunners were poor for large parts of their derby encounter and required a late Kieran Gibbs goal to rescue a point they scarcely deserved. That draw kept them level with Manchester City at the top of the table and they will be eager to assert an advantage with a win at West Brom ahead of their rivals’ match against Liverpool later in the evening.
The Gunners may have endured a rocky spell in the weeks ahead of the international break, winning just one of their last four games, but Wenger will find his squad notably less threadbare than when they left him, with no one returning back to Colney with a new injury.
With six eminently winnable games ahead of them before they host Manchester City on 21 December, the coming weeks could be critical to Arsenal’s season. If they reach expectations they could be well on course for a successful league campaign.
Last 5 games: W-L-W-L-D (Last match: Arsenal 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur)
Key Stats
- West Brom have registered just two wins in their 18 Premier League meetings with Arsenal (D3 L13) and are without a win against the Gunners in the last nine top-flight clashes
- The Gunners have scored in every one of those 18 games, the longest 100% scoring record of any side against a single opponent in Premier League history
- West Brom have averaged 0.5 points per game against Arsenal in the Premier League, their joint-lowest return against any side they have met more than twice
- Arsenal have taken 31 points from a possible 36 in the last 12 league matches on the road (W10 D1 L1)
- Olivier Giroud has scored in four of his last six league appearances. Since joining the club in 2012, Giroud has scored more headed goals than any other player in the Premier League (15), including one against West Brom in May 2014.
- Arsenal have the best away form in the Premier League this season, winning five of their six games (L1). They have scored 11 goals in their last three league games away from home
Key Battles
Salomon Rondon vs Per Mertesacker
West Brom may be the joint-lowest scorers in the Premier League, but in Salomon Rondon they have a major goal threat who is starting to find his feet in English football. The Venezuela international is a proven performer, having impressed during a four-year spell in Spain with Las Palmas and then Malaga, before three prolific years in Russia with Rubin Kazan and Zenit St Petersburg.
Rondon’s energy and strength suggest he is well suited to the league and two goals in his last three games highlights the danger he will pose. If Laurent Koscielny is rested for the game, it will be up to the Big German to tackle the threat of Rondon that Arsenal might face. Mertesacker has been in good form and has looked more comfortable in the box, clearing the long balls and fast-paced play.
Olivier Giroud vs Jonny Evans
The Frenchman has been in good form recently, scoring five goals in his last six games for the North London side. With the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sánchez around him, don’t be surprised if Giroud doesn’t add to his tally. Giroud will be up against former Manchester United defender Jonny Evans, who has been in outstanding form ever since leaving the Red Devils.
Both players play a physical game, which could mean the fans can see a tough battle when the two collide on Saturday afternoon. However, the stats are with Giroud as he has scored against Evans when the latter used to play at United. The result could be decided by this battle.
Prediction
If you want to win Premier League titles, you have to go and win at the Hawthorns, but these are hard football matches because the manager has had the players for one day. A lot of them have been away on international duty, and it could take its toll. West Brom boss Tony Pulis will set up his team perfectly, play very defensively and hope to pick them off on the break or through a set piece, but Arsenal should have too much for them.
Predicted score: West Bromwich Albion 0-2 Arsenal
Betting odds (bet365)
West Bromwich Albion – 6/1
Draw – 10/3
Arsenal – 8/15
