Arsenal v Sunderland – English Premier League: Match Preview
Arsenal will look to gain all three points against Sunderland on 5th of March, 2010 at Emirates Stadium but the Black Cats will give it their all to obtain a favourable result in London. How will both the teams approach this vital Premier League
encounter? Let’s take a look.
Arsenal
Arsenal’s tie against Sunderland has turned into a must win one for the Gunners after Manchester United lost to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 mid-week on Tuesday night.
A win against Steve Bruce’s men will allow Arsenal to close the gap at the top of the Premier League table to just a single point.
However, such a task is easier said than done. Currently second in the English Premier League table with 56 points from 27 games, Arsenal are only four points behind the league leaders with a game in hand.
Out of their last five competitive fixtures, the Gunners have won three, lost one and drawn one. Their only loss came in the final of the Carling Cup against Birmingham City whereas their latest win came against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup.
Sunderland
Sunderland held Arsenal to a draw earlier on in the Premier League season when both the teams met at the Stadium of Light. However, this time around the Black Cats might take confidence from the fact that several key players are out due to injury for Arsene
Wenger’s side.
Steve Bruce’s men are by no means in their best form of the season. Out of their last five encounters, Sunderland have won one and last four. Their only win came against Blackpool whilst their latest loss came against Everton in the last round of Premier
League matches.
With 37 points from 28 matches thus far, Sunderland presently occupy the eighth place spot in the Premier League table. A win against Arsenal in London will propel the Black Cats towards the sixth place spot if results elsewhere go in their favour.
Team news
Arsenal will take to the field against Newcastle United without a host of their first team stars. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Theo-Walcott-c34873 are all out due to their respective fitness issues.
However, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Laurent-Koscielny-c21742 are fit to start for the Gunners.
Expected Arsenal line-up: Szczesny, Sagna, Djourou, Clichy, Nasri, Wilshere, Arshavin, Chamakh, Bendtner, Squillaci, Diaby
Sunderland will be without the services of Frazier Campbell, Michael Tuner and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lee-Cattermole-c21868. Bolo Zenden, Nadem Onuoha and David Meyer are also scheduled to miss the match against Arsenal due to their injury troubles.
However, Daniel Wellbeck is anticipated to make a return to first team action at the Emirates Stadium.
Expected Sunderland line-up: Gordon, Bardsley, Richardson, Bramble, Mensah, Muntari, Henderson, Malbranque, Elmohamady, Gyan, Wellbeck
Key players
Arsenal will look towards http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Samir-Nasri-c32360 to provide them with the flair and the creativity in the centre of the park due to Cesc Fabregas’s absence.
The Frenchman is already a contender for the PFA Player of the year but he will need to carry out some remarkable heroics at the Emirates stadium to keep his club side in the English Premier League title race.
Sunderland’s main offensive threat and their key player against Arsenal will no doubt be http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Asamoah-Gyan-c6791. The Ghanaian centre forward has settled in well at Sunderland and is looking like a world class athlete already as he become accustomed to the pace of
the English league sooner than expected.
Prediction
With Arsenal missing crucial first team players, Sunderland will be gunning for at least a draw. They can very well achieve that result if their defence doesn’t succumb to Arsenal’s fire power. Prediction: Arsenal 2 – 2 Sunderland.
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