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Arsenal need to keep pace with league leaders Chelsea with a win over Stoke on Saturday afternoon. The Gunners have an impressive consistency to beating sides in the bottom half and will hope that continues this weekend.
With no midweek game before or after this fixture, Arsene Wenger has a rare chance to focus solely on the weekend’s game, and his team selection is likely to reflect this.
Stoke are struggling for form and most importantly Premier League points. Mark Hughes has tweaked the clubs philosophy, but they may have to return to a more physical approach in order to counter Arsenal’s impressive fluid football, demonstrated so brilliantly against Sunderland last weekend.
Team News
Stoke
Stoke have no fresh injury concerns from last weekend, and only have two players currently on the sidelines. On loan Liverpool winger Assaidi has an unknown return date, whilst Robert Huth could return to the squad to face the Gunners. The German defender is unlikely to start and will face a late fitness test before Hughes decides whether or not he will include him in his squad.
Arsenal
Keiran Gibbs is still struggling to shake off an injury sustained against Bayern Munich whilst Nacho Monreal is also a doubt due to a knock picked up against Sunderland last weekend. Thomas Vermaelen is back in the squad and could fill in at left-back, whilst Mathieu Flamini has shown he can deputise their if needed. Mesut Ozil returns to the squad following a suspicious ‘dead leg’ injury. Other than Monreal, the Gunners have no new fresh injury concerns, with Koscielny shaking off a knock picked up against Sunderland.
Possible Line-Ups
Stoke
Stoke only fell to a narrow defeat at the Etihad last week and will take positives from that result, and probably not change much of their line-up. Peter Crouch has scored seven Premier League goals against the Gunners; only against Blackburn (8) has he been more prolific, so he looks sure to start. There looks to be no fresh injury concerns from last weekend for Stoke, so after an encouraging performance at the Etihad, Hughes is unlikely to change anything.
4-2-3-1: Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Wilson; Pieters; Whelan, Adam; Odemwingie, Walters, Arnautovic; Crouch
Arsenal
Arsene Wenger will have been impressed with his side’s demolition of Sunderland last weekend and will hope for a similar performance against Stoke. Ozil is likely to come back into the line up with Rosicky harshly dropped or played out wide, Chamberlain looks likely to replace Podolski in a wide berth after being rested last week. There is confusion over who will start at left back due to injury problems, but any one of Monreal, Gibbs, Vermaelen or Flamini could be selected there.
4-2-3-1: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Wilshere, Arteta; Chamberlain, Ozil, Cazorla; Giroud
Recent Form
Stoke have just one win in their last ten Premier League games, that came against a struggling Manchester United side. They have been dragged into a relegation battle and face a difficult challenge on Saturday. Arsenal have had an up and down 2014 so far, but seem to be able to take three points off of all the teams in the bottom half, in that respect they are remarkably consistent. With seven wins in their last ten Premier League games, the Gunners are still looking an impressive force despite the heavy 5-1 defeat to Liverpool. It is clear Arsenal are the team on better form, and the team with better players, Stoke are facing an uphill struggle to pick up points from this fixture.
Players to Watch
Stoke – Charlie Adam
He scored two vital goals against Manchester United at the Britannia a few weeks ago, and Hughes will be hoping for a similar amount of quality from his centre midfielder against Arsenal. Adam has shown flashes of quality at the heart of Hughes’ midfield this season, but as well as trying to score, his defensive efforts will be key to keeping Arsenal at bay.
Arsenal – Mesut Ozil
After a drop in form, Ozil was dropped from the squad last week against Stoke. With over a week of resting, the German is likely to come back into the Arsenal line up, and following his penalty miss against Bayern, all eyes will be on how he performs against a physical Stoke side. The pressure will be on him after Arsenal performed brilliantly against Stoke without him. The weight of a £40 million price-tag seems to be wearing hard on his shoulders but a top performance against Stoke will silence the doubters and I am sure he is determined to deliver one.
Prediction
Arsenal have had a bit more rest than they have be used to recently with seven days since their last game. With another seven until they face Everton in the FA Cup, their full focus will be on getting three points from this Premier League fixture, and I fully expect them to do so. Giroud is back amongst the goals and the Gunners have a squad that is returning to full fitness, a dangerous task for the Stoke side to handle. Stoke are at the centre of a relegation battle and have managed just one win in their last ten league games, that win came against a struggling Manchester United side. They will have to produce a performance of at least that quality if they want to take points off of title chasing Arsenal.
Stoke 0-2 Arsenal
