Reading vs Arsenal

Dec 17, 2012 – 8.PM (UK time)

Madejski Stadium

Arsenal travel to Madejski Stadium to face a Reading side which is staring down the Barrel of relegation, in a hope to get maximum points ahead of the busy festive period and to get back some confidence within the team after some dismal performances. Meanwhile under pressure manager Brian McDermott who has seen his side lose the previous 5 matches in all competitions will be looking for a change in fortune and he has some good news from his treatment table as strikers Jason Roberts and Pavel Pogrebnyak could return to tonight’s game.

Arsenal are currently in 8th place with 24 points on the board and 3 points today could see them climb up to 5th place equalling on points with Everton and WestBrom. The last time Arsenal won two Premier League matches in a row was back in September when they overcame Liverpool at Anfield and crushed Southampton in the next week. Wenger and co will be looking to do the exact thing today and with potentially easy fixtures in line for the Gunners, one would hope Arsenal to be back to winning ways. The same fixture last month in the League cup was a match to remember as the Gunners came out victorious in a thrilling game with a final scoreline of 5-7 in favour of Arsenal.

Both the clubs are equally in trouble in a very different ways. Reading manager spoke to the press ahead of the game and admits that he is favourite for the sack.

“People talk about my job and I understand that. I don’t go home at night feeling great about myself because we’re not winning games,” McDermott said. I’m favourite to go first, we all know that. Sixteen games ago I’d have been 50-1, now I’m 7-4. That’s how it works in football and I completely understand because it’s a results-driven business. Generally over the last three years we’ve won a lot of games and our record is good, but all I do is focus on what I can do. We’re not winning but we’re trying to win.”

Meanwhile Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is confident about the game

“I believe it’s a good opportunity to show that we are strong inside the club and let people talk. We are criticised when results are not good, we have to take that on the chin, but (when) we have to face a lot of lies, (it) is less acceptable.”

Injury News:

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud should be back in the starting line-up after missing the midweek defeat at Bradford City. The fitness of Theo Walcott continues to be assessed and Laurent Koscielny is back in first team training. Long term absentie Abou Diaby continues his recovery.

For Reading Jimmy Kebe (groin) and Jem Karacan (knee) have returned to training but is a doubt to make it to the starting line-up. Sean Morrison (ankle) is still sidelined and Alex McCarthy is out long term. Strikers Jason Roberts and Pavel Pogrebnyak could return to tonight’s game if they pass the fitness test before the game.

Match facts:

Reading and Arsenal have met 10 times in all competitions, with the Gunners winning them all.
The two sides have already met once this season, in the Capital One Cup, with Reading taking a 4-0 lead, only to be pegged back to 4-4 and losing 5-7 in extra time.
In that match, Theo Walcott scored a hat-trick with all three goals being netted in added time at the end of the first half (45), second half (90) and extra time (120).
Reading have won just one of their last 10 Premier League games at the Madejski Stadium (W1 D5 L4).
Arsenal have won none of their last six away games in all competitions (W0 D4 L2).
Reading have thrown away more points from winning positions than any other Premier League sides this term (17).
Arsenal have conceded the lowest number of second-half goals in the top-flight this season (six) while Reading have shipped the joint-most (20).
The Gunners have made the most passes in the Premier League this season (9221) while the Royals have made the fewest (4823).

Courtesy: Yahoo sport

Possible starting lineups Line – ups:

Reading: Federici; Shorey, Pearce, Mariappa, Cummings; Leigertwood, McAnuff, Tabb; Le Fondre, Hunt, Robson-kanu

Arsenal: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Arteta, Wilshere, Cazorla; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Giroud, Podolski.

Reading Vs Arsenal possible starting line-up

Prediction: 1-3