Arsenal host West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates in tonight’s Premier League fixture. One side is looking to make sure their place in the top four, on the other hand the other one badly wants to be in the top half of the table being a point short of 10th-placed Chelsea if they come out on top.
It has been 12-years since Arsenal won their last Premier League title. Wenger’s side did the double on leaders Leicester City and also did close the point gap between the two sides, but it has been two months since then and things have changed. Currently Leicester have a 13 point lead over the Gunners. Being unbeaten in their last five league games may sound impressive, but when three of those were draws, that too against their fellow London rivals West Ham United and Crystal Palace, there must be something wrong with the club.
West Brom also suffered a 1-0 defeat to Watford last Saturday as Saido Berahino missed two back to back penalties. Though the West Midlands club have secured 40 points and are safe from the relegation zone, their current winless drought continues as they haven’t won in their last four matches.
During his entire managerial career, Tony Pulis is yet to win at the Emirates Stadium. With Arsenal being just one win away from their 500th Premier League victory, Tony Pulis would look to postpone their celebrations tonight.
Team News:
Arsenal and Injuries, the relationship never fades! Midfielder, Jack Wilshere is expected to miss out on tonight’s game, as Wenger thinks he is not at his 100% yet. The midfielder has recovered from a broken fibula but Arsene Wenger does not want to take any risk by playing the 24-year-old when the Baggies visit the Emirates Stadium.
With Santi Cazorla (Achilles) and Tomas Rosicky (thigh) back in training, the squad has got some boost, but it is more likely that they will not feature tonight, meanwhile Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee) is ruled out.
West Brom boss Tony Pulis also has a few knocks and niggles to be worried about before tonight’s trip to the Emirates. Pulis has announced that Alex Pritchard may return from an ankle problem, but it is impossible for James Morrison (hamstring) to recover that soon, so he has been ruled out.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Ramsey; Sanchez, Ozil, Iwobi; Giroud
West Brom possible starting lineup:
Foster; Dawson, McAuley, Evans, Chester; Fletcher, Yacob; Sessegnon, Berahino, McClean; Rondon
Key facts and Key battles:
Though West Brom only had a single shot on target, still they got victorious over Arsenal with a 2-1 score-line at the Hawthorns earlier this season.
Arsenal had a nine match unbeaten run in the Premier League against West Brom before their last defeat at the Hawthorns back in November (W7 D2).
Having won just one of their last 11 Premier League away games (W1 D5 L5), the Baggies are obviously not the favorites tonight.
Tony Pulis is considered as one of the best defensive managers of recent times in the Premier League, with 21 clean sheets in his last 51 games as in charge of West Brom, keeping clean sheets in 41% games. But a low scoring rate also been a result of his management, with 50 goals in his 51 games, the goals per game ratio is less than 1, which is a matter of concern for the Baggies manager.
After netting 14 in 2014-15, Saido Berahino has managed to score only four goals in his 28 league appearances this season.
Prediction and Betting odds:
Prediction for tonight’s game is obviously in favor of Arsenal, We predict a 2-0 win for the Gunners, considering Brom’s bad run of form. The betting odds are 1/4 with Arsenal to beat 11/1 shots West Brom, with the draw priced at 3/1.