Garry Monk’s Swansea had to settle for a point last weekend against visitors Everton. They face another tough task this weekend as Arsenal head to the Liberty Stadium.
The threat of Wilfried Bony is well known by Premier League defences, the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index bearing them out on then concerns. Not only does he rank joint 4th in the league for shots on target this season (14 – level with Saido Bershino and Graziano Pelle), he also has the highest number of clearances of any player in the top 15 in the league in this category with 12. The big striker clearly not only poses problems up front but also makes use of stature when defending set pieces at the back. Bony is 24/13 to score at any time this weekend with 888sport.com.
Angel Rangel’s reading of the game has been superb this season and he may well be vital this weekend if the Swans are to stymy Arsenal’s fluid passing game and the movement of their forward players. He ranks joint second in the Barclays Premier League for interceptions according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index with 31 to his name (level with Ritchie de Laet and Younes Kaboul).
His defensive colleague Ashley Williams has also been turning in some stellar all-round defensive performances for Garry Monk’s side this season. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows him ranking third in the league for total defensive contributions (blocks, tackles won, clearances, interceptions) this term with 153 to his name. As part of this statistic he has won an impressive 92.3% of his 13 attempted challenges.
Arsenal won back-to-back in the league last weekend as they beat Burnley 3-0 at the Emirates. A brace from Alexis Sanchez, followed by Calum Chambers’ first goal for the Gunners, saw them remain in the top four.
Alexis Sanchez has been rightly hailed as one of the brightest points in a mixed Arsenal season to date. The Chilean international has fitted seamlessly into the Arsenal system and has impressed fans with the workrate and tenacity that accompanies his skill. He was particularly impressive against Burnley last weekend, registering six shots on goal, which brought his total for the season to 21, 71.4% of which have been on target. He will likely be one of Arsenal’s main outlets again at the Liberty Stadium. Sanchez is 16/13 to score at any time this weekend with 888sport.com.
Feeding the likes of Sanchez has once again been Santiago Cazorla, the little Spaniard relishing the chance to play behind a raft of pacy attacking talent. Cazorla is Arsenal’s highest-ranked player for completed passes in the opponent’s half this season, with 352 to his name according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Despite his tender years, Calum Chambers has already proved he can handle the expectation placed on him since joining Arsenal in the summer. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index he’s racked up more defensive contributions (blocks, clearances, tackles won, interceptions) than any other Arsenal player, as well as winning a solid 72.7% of his 33 attempted challenges.
Swansea vs Arsenal Possible starting lineups:
Swansea City: Fabianski; Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Carroll, Ki, Routledge, Sigurdsson, Montero; Bony
Arsenal: Szczesny, Bellerin, Chambers, Mertesacker, Gibbs; Wilshere, Ramsey, Walcott, Sanchez, Cazorla; Welbeck
Swansea vs Arsenal Match Facts:
- This is Swansea City’s best start to a Barclays Premier League season (15 points after 10 matches).
- Danny Welbeck has scored three goals in three Premier League appearances against Swansea City.
- Arsenal have won just four Premier League matches this season and those have come against teams currently in the bottom six of the table.
- Arsenal have scored exactly two goals in each of their last five away trips to Swansea in all competitions. That has been enough for three wins, one draw and one defeat.
- There have been nine goals scored in the last 10 minutes of the last six meetings between Arsenal and Swansea in all competitions.
- Arsenal have conceded a league high 64% of goals in the first half of Premier League games this season.
- Alexis Sanchez has scored five goals in his last three Premier League games.
- Wilfried Bony has scored four goals in his last four Premier League matches.
Facts compiled from uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
Swansea vs Arsenal Prediction
A 1-2 win for the traveling side.
Data supplied by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Select and manage your own team of stars with at http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ or with FIFA Ultimate team.