A splendid performance in the mid-week fixture gave Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal a thumping victory in their first ever game against Bulgarian opponents in the Champions League. The Gunners have been in sublime form early this season and are in the middle of a 6-match winning streak in the Premier League. They will look to make it 7 when they face Aitor Karanka’s Middlesbrough side this weekend. The visitors are fresh from a loss to Watford and will have to work really hard to take anything from this game.
Here is the preview of this clash along with the team news, predicted line-ups, stats and betting odds.
Date & Time:
22nd of October, 2016. KO: 7:30 pm BST
Venue:
The Emirates Stadium, London.
Team News:
Arsene Wenger will miss the services of midfielder Granit Xhaka, who is serving a ban for the red card he picked up against Swansea. However, Francis Coquelin is expected to start in the midfield for the Gunners for this game. Per Mertesacker, Danny Welbeck and Chuba Akpom are all sidelined while Aaron Ramsey and Carl Jenkinson are not fit enough to start this game.
Karanka might miss the likes of Grant Leadbitter, James Husband and Fabio for this trip to London. The trio are nursing injuries ahead of this game and will undergo late scans to prove their fitness. Defender Calum Chambers is ineligible to play this game against his parent club and is the only other player missing for the visitors.
Expected Lineups:
Arsenal:
Cech; Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Cazorla; Iwobi, Ozil, Walcott; Alexis
Middlesbrough:
Valdes; Barragan, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Forshaw, Roon; Traore, Ramirez, Downing; Negredo
Key Battle:
Mesut Ozil vs Daniel Ayala:
The German international has been in sublime form in this season and is fresh from the first hat trick of his career. He will play a decent role for the side in this game against Boro and will be up against Daniel Ayala who has not had too much of game time this season. He will have to be at his best to stop Ozil and give his team a shot at even a point from this game.
Key Stats:
- Arsenal have won their last 6 matches in the Premier League.
- Arsenal have scored at least 2 goals in their last 5 home matches in the Premier League.
- Arsenal are undefeated in their last 7 home matches against Middlesbrough in all competitions.
- Middlesbrough have failed to win their last 6 matches in the Premier League.
- Arsenal have won just one of their last six Premier League fixtures against Middlesbrough, though four of these were draws (L1).
- Middlesbrough’s last league victory away to Arsenal came in April 2001, winning 3-0 thanks to own goals from Edu, Sylvinho and a strike from Hamilton Ricard.
- Since that loss, Arsenal have won six of their last eight home games against Boro in the Premier League (D2).
- The last time these two sides met was in the 2014/15 FA Cup, with Olivier Giroud scoring twice to send Arsenal to the quarter finals. They went on to lift the trophy that year.
- This game is on the same day as Arsene Wenger’s 67th birthday. He has won his two previous Premier League games on his birthday, 1-0 v Man City in 2005 and 4-0 v Reading in 2006.
- The Gunners have scored 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7 goals in Premier League matches against Middlesbrough – one of four clubs to do so against another in Premier League history (also Chelsea vs Sunderland, Everton vs Sunderland and Man City vs Norwich).
- Mesut Özil has been directly involved in 51 goals in 90 league games for Arsenal (18 goals, 33 assists), the same total he had after 90 La Liga games for Real Madrid (14 goals, 37 assists).
Betting Odds:
Arsenal: 1/4
Draw: 19/4
Middlesbrough: 11/1
Prediction:
Playing at home and with their current form, Arsenal are firm favorites to take all three points from this game but Karanka’s side have been decent at times this season and will put in a tough fight on the night.
Our Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Middlesbrough