It`s safe to say this has been one of the craziest seasons for a long while.
Leicester will sit atop of the Premier League table on Christmas day, Chelsea are in a relegation battle, everyone is beating everyone else and Arsenal are yet to lose a game to a team in the top 7. It`s definitely not your typical season.
Arsenal spring back into action tonight after a sensational couple of weeks with a massive home game against Man City.
The Gunners and the Citizens were among the favourites to challenge for the title this year and whilst they are both up there they have both also been usurped by Leicester City at this moment in time. The Foxes grabbed another cracking 3-0 win at the weekend leaving them 5 points clear with the two teams hot on their tail to face each other tonight.
A win for Arsenal would put them within touching distance of Ranieri`s Leicester but a draw or defeat, whilst not disastrous, would see us drop to third and begin a game of catch up over the Christmas period.
It`s a huge game going into the busiest period of the season, truly a Christmas feast.
Vital Quotes:
Wenger: “It is a massive game. When we play at home you want to win because we are ambitious and we feel we have the chance to come out in a strong position after Christmas.”
“It will be a very tight game because if you look at the numbers since the start of the season, offensively and defensively the numbers are very close.”
Pellegrini: “It’s not a decisive game as after this we have to play 21 games more. It’s a game of six points, to win three and to take three off a rival.”
Arsenal Team News:
The Gunners will probably remain unchanged from the last two games however Alexis Sanchez does have the chance to return, however considering what happened the last time Wenger played him I would be surprised to see him anywhere but the bench.
Player to watch: Olivier Giroud
Jamie Vardy and Riyad Marhez have been the talk of the Premier League this season and rightly so, yet despite having the same amount of goals as Marhez and one less than Vardy (admittedly in more games) for the season Olivier Giroud remains relatively untalked about and is vastly under-rated.
The big man will be vital in bringing our other players into the game and holding up the ball tonight, not to mention being my favourite to bag the winner.
Maybe people will start to rate him then?
Man City Team News:
City welcome back the very dangerous Sergio Aguero to the team whilst Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta look certain to miss out. Sami Nasri is a long term absentee. Heh.
Player to watch: Sergio Augero
I`m not a huge fan of Man City, they don`t register on my hatred levels quite as highly as Chelsea, but the way they`ve come about their recent silverware grates just a little bit.
However when I think of City I think of Aguero and I can`t help but love that little guy. He`s a classy footballer and a classy guy, he knows exactly where the goal is and needs no invitation to shoot on sight.
Our defence needs to focus for the entire 90 minutes.
Match Facts & Stats
Arsenal are unbeaten against Man City in their last four games.
The Gunners boast the meanest defence in the Premier League so far this season with a poultry 13 goals conceded. I know, right?!?
There has been 5 red cards in the last 5 league games between these two clubs.
Man City have lost more away games at Arsenal in the PL than they have against any other team.
Match Prediction:
I’m going to be bold. 2-1 to the Gunners. Giroud and Rambo for Arsenal, Aguero for City.
Next Fixtures:
Sat 26th Dec 19.45 Southampton (a)