Throughout January, Arsenal have generally played one game a week, but this might be one occasion where Arsene Wenger is glad of a midweek fixture. The Gunners need to shake off the cobwebs of Saturday’s defeat to Spurs and a home game against the side bottom of the league ought to represent a good chance to put the weekend’s travails behind them.
Arsenal certainly have sufficient options to rotate a player or two and it’s likely that Wenger will use the next two home games to keep his squad fresh. Nothing wholesale, but 2-3 changes per game sounds about right.
Rosicky, Walcott and fit again Alexis seem likely candidates to start. The visitors meanwhile arrive in North London in disarray. They prop up the Premier League table and bizarrely appeared to dismiss and immediately reinstate manager Nigel Pearson over the weekend. In these days of PR sheen, Pearson’s touchline antics have endangered his job as much as his team’s performances. That said, strangling opponents on the touchline hardly emits confidence to his beleaguered squad.
Whether or not recent events act as motivation or demotivation for the Foxes remains to be seen. But with Spurs and Liverpool playing one another tonight, this represents a good chance for Arsenal to get back onto the horse and to re-establish themselves as leading contenders for a top 4 berth.
Vital Quotes:
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has demanded focus from his Arsenal side tonight, telling arsenal.com, ‘[Leicester] look like a team who plays in the Premier League and fights to survive in the Premier League. That means it demands a complete focus from us and that we respond very strongly to our defeat on Saturday.
‘We had a very strong run just before Saturday. We just want to continue that and respond very strongly to the disappointment.
“It’s about performance on the day and because the Premier League is tight, the difference between the teams is very small.
‘If you look at the table, nobody [near the bottom of the league is] definitely out of the fight, so I think all the teams who are down there and fighting to survive can stay up.’
Meanwhile, Foxes gaffer Nigel Pearson has refused to reveal the precise events of Sunday when he appeared to lose his job, only to earn an instant reprieve, ”If I have got things to say I will say it in the appropriate manner to the appropriate people.
”I don’t think I’ve been in a position where I speak too openly about what goes on in internal workings.
‘I’ve always had a good working relationship with the owners and I’m sure I will moving forward.
‘You are never going to have a situation at any football club where things are entirely going the way you want all the time.’
Arsenal Team News:
Arsenal welcome back Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez from a hamstring injury. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is still at least two weeks away, whilst Jack Wilshere has joined in full training, but is not match fit yet.
Mathieu Debuchy (shoulder), Mikel Arteta (ankle) and Abou Diaby (knee) are still out.
Arsenal (from); Szczesny, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Koscielny, Rosicky, Özil, Giroud, Ospina, Walcott, Ramsey, Alexis, Monreal, S.Cazorla, Flamini, Chambers, Welbeck, Coquelin, Bellerin.
Player to watch: Theo Walcott
It’s more than likely Walcott will start tonight and his rustiness was still evident when he failed to collect an inviting through ball from Tomas Rosicky on Saturday.
Walcott has worked hard on his finishing and his work in the penalty area over the years, which was evident with his goals against Brighton and Aston Villa. However, his defensive weakness was exposed against Spurs as he did not seriously challenge Bentaleb for the cross that led to Tottenham’s winner.
If Walcott is engaged in a foot race with a defender or if you put him clear on goal, he’s likely to score. We’ve known that for some years, but he’s going to have to start demonstrating improvement in areas of his game that he might not enjoy quite as much, because he won’t be able to use rustiness as an excuse for much longer.
Leicester City Team News:
Leicester could hand a debut to centre half Robert Huth after he served a two match suspension, however goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel (foot) and midfielder Chris Woods (ankle) remain absent.
Leicester City (from): de Laet, Konchesky, Drinkwater, Morgan, Upson, Hammond, James, Vardy, King, Albrighton, Hamer, Huth, Schlupp, Lawrence, Simpson, Moore, Cambiasso, Taylor-Fletcher, Ulloa, Knockeart, Schwarzer, Nugent, Kramaric.
Player to watch: Leonardo Ulloa
The Argentine has scored in both of his appearances against Arsenal, in the colours of Leicester and Brighton. Arsenal have conceded plenty of headed goals this season (one to Ulloa himself back in August) and the Foxes striker has quite the leap on him.
Match Facts & Stats
Leicester are winless in 16 games against Arsenal (D6, L10) since beating them in their first Premier League meeting at Filbert Street in November 1994. Leicester have lost each of their last seven away trips at Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger has never lost a Premier League game against Leicester, but he was in charge when the Gunners were beaten in an FA Cup fourth round penalty shoot-out in 2000.
Arsenal have won their last seven home games in all competitions.
The Gunners are unbeaten against opposition from the bottom half of the table this season (W8, D3).
The Foxes have lost eight of their last 10 away league games (W1, D1).
The above stats courtesy of opta.
Arsenal v Leicester Fosse was the first ever competitive game at Highbury on 6th September, 1913.
Ref Watch:
Mike Jones will referee.
Match Prediction:
I fancy Arsenal to get back on track with a 3-0 victory, goals from Alexis, Giroud and Walcott.
Next Fixtures:
Arsenal play at home to Middlesbrough in the 5th Round of the F.A. Cup at 4pm on Sunday. Leicester play away at Aston Villa at 12.30pm on the same day, also in the F.A. Cup.