Arsenal travel to Loftus Road on Wednesday night looking to keep their tilt for Champions League qualification on the tracks. United have Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City on the immediate horizon, so the Gunners will look at this run of games as a chance to cement their position in the automatic qualification places.
QPR meanwhile are fighting tooth and nail against relegation and Arsenal have certainly found the likes of Leicester City and Crystal Palace stubborn opposition in recent weeks. Rangers themselves also gave Wenger’s side something of a scare at the Emirates back in December.
Arsene Wenger will again look to rotate given the frequency of fixtures, with Aaron Ramsey back at his disposal to help balance his midfield. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a front three comprising of Özil, Walcott and either one of Giroud or Wlebeck in a kind of rotating front line.
In the home match against Aston Villa a few weeks ago, the Gunners adopted a kind of orbiting trio of Özil, Walcott and Giroud upfront. With the more secure presence of Ramsey available again in midfield, I wouldn’t be surprised to see much the same this time around.
Vital Quotes:
Arsene Wenger is expecting a tough game at Loftus Road, comparing one of the Premier League’s oldest stadiums with Highbury.
He told arsenal.com, ‘”There is a difference between QPR`s home results and their away results,” the manager said. “It`s a bit like a Highbury atmosphere with a very tight ground, fans close, a committed team, but it`s an opportunity for us to continue our good away record in the Premier League and we want to take it.
“QPR are a team that fights not to go down. They have 22 points and there are four teams who are down there, with Leicester [on 18 points], so there are four teams at the moment around there. One of them will get out, maybe two, so you expect the commitment and the fight that you get from teams who fight not to go down.”
Wenger also acknowledged how tight the race for 4th, 3rd and even 2nd place is looking, ‘You look in front and Manchester City are four points ahead of us, and you look behind and there`s plenty of people chasing us.
“If you ask a team who is four points behind us, they will say it`s realistic to try to catch us. Manchester City are four points in front of us, so mathematically of course it is possible.
“United are only one point [behind] and Liverpool three points. There`s a long way to go but once you`re in March the acceleration is there for the final sprint and what you basically have to do is not look too much at other teams, just focus on what you want to do and how you can do it.
“It will be very, very tight and it will be down to consistency in our results and mental strength. That will certainly be needed again on Wednesday night [at QPR].”
Rangers boss Chris Ramsey describes it as ‘an honour’ to pit his wits against Arsene Wenger on Wednesday night, ‘It will be an honour to be sat next to Arsene.
‘But like I say, all I am focused on is the job that I’ve got to do.
‘You’d be a fool not to have learned something from Arsene and his philosophies over the years in the Premier League.’
‘Arsenal are a fantastic technical team.
‘They can take anyone apart when they’re at their best.
‘These next three games will be very important for us to show what we can do but there’s plenty of reason for optimism.
‘We played well last time out and we’ve tried to address the mistakes we made.’
Queens Park Rangers Team News:
Brazilian midfielder Sandro has been passed fit and could start against Arsenal following a knee injury that has kept him out since November. Nedum Onuoha (hamstring) and Maurico Isla (knee) should also be fit.
Leroy Fer, Alejandro Faurlin, Nico Kranjcar, Richard Dunne and Adel Taarabt remain unavailable.
Queens Park Rangers (from); Green, Traore, Caulker, Ferdinand, Hill, Phillips, Barton, Austin, Wright-Phillips, McCarthy, Yun, Isla, Onuoha, Henry, Hoilett, Vargas, Zamora, Zarate, Sandro.
Player to watch: Sandro
The Brazilian was identified in Harry Redknapp’s departing speech as a crucial player for Rangers and his return will stiffen Ramsey’s midfield options.
Sandro will be charged with preventing Arsenal’s more creative players to take a strangle hold of the game. QPR will try to rely on making the game as cramped and uncomfortable as possible for the visitors and Sandro will hold the key to that approach.
Arsenal Team News:
Arsenal welcome Aaron Ramsey back from a hamstring problem. Francis Coquelin will likely play with a face mask after breaking his nose in Sunday’s victory over Everton.
Mathieu Debuchy (shoulder), Mikel Arteta (ankle), Jack Wilshere (ankle), Mathieu Flamini (calf) are out.
Arsenal (from); Szczesny, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Koscielny, Rosicky, Özil, Giroud, Ospina, Walcott, Chamberlain, Ramsey, Alexis, Monreal, S.Cazorla, Chambers, Welbeck, Coquelin, Akpom, Bellerin.
Player to watch: Aaron Ramsey
Arsenal’s midfield has lacked another ball winner since Ramsey’s lay off. At times, a combination of Özil and Cazorla in the same midfield can starve opponents of the ball, but it can make us a tad susceptible as well.
I think Ramsey’s return could free up Arsenal’s front 3 to become a bit more liberated than they have been of late (as we have seen with Alexis’ mini drought, the wide players have had to play with a little more structure). Ramsey potentially gives the front 3 a little more fluidity.
Match Facts & Stats
Arsenal are bidding for a 4th consecutive Premier League victory.
Theo Walcott has scored on each of his visits to Loftus Road.
The Gunners have only won one of their last seven league matches away to Rangers (D4, L2).
Rangers are winless in their last nine Premier League London derbies (D3, L6).
Matt Phillips has registered three assists in his last two games – having managed just two in his previous 32 league appearances.
Mesut Ozil has assisted five goals in 12 Premier League appearances this season.
Ref Watch:
The referee is Kevin Friend.
Match Prediction:
I fancy Arsenal to do the job. 2-0. Walcott and Alexis with the goals.
Next Fixtures:
Arsenal are away at Manchester United in the F.A. Cup quarter final at 7.45pm on Monday evening. QPR are at home to Tottenham on Saturday at 3pm.