West Bromwich Albion vs Arsenal – English Premier League – Preview

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Sreya

Arsenal will travel to the Hawthorns to face West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, as the Gunners have an incredible opportunity to move to the top of the English Premier League table with Manchester City not playing until later in the evening and having a comparatively difficult fixture against Liverpool.

Arsenal are on 26 points, in the second position, behind Manchester City only on goal difference. The Baggies are in the thirteenth position on the league table with 14 points.

Team News

Ben Foster is the hosts’ only injury concern. Serge Gnabry, on loan from Arsenal, is ineligible. Gareth McAuley is suspended following his sending off against Manchester Untied in the last gameweek.

Arsenal have as many as six players sidelined due to injury with Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Tomas Rosicky, Alex Oxlaide Chamberlain, Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott missing from the squad. Hector Bellerin is set to the return but Lauren Koscielny will face a late fitness test. Alexis Sanchez could be rested by Arsene Wenger.

West Bromwich Albion Possible Starting Lineup: Boaz Myhill, Craig Dawson, Jonas Olsson, Jonny Evans, Chris Brunt, James Morrison, Darren Fletcher, Claudio Yacob, James McClean, Salomon Rondon, Saido Berahino.

Arsenal Possible Starting Lineup: Petr Cech, Hector Bellerin, Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker, Nacho Monreal, Santi Cazorla, Francis Coquelin, Joel Campbell, Mesut Ozil, Kieran Gibbs, Olivier Giroud.

Referee

Mark Clattenburg will officiate the match.

Match Facts

According to Head-2-Head statistics, West Brom have registered just two wins in their 18 Premier League meetings with Arsenal (with three draws and thirteen losses), and are without a win against the Gunners in their last nine top-flight encounters. Only one match out of the last six have ended in a draw, with the Gunners winning the remaining five.

Arsene Wenger’s side have scored in every one of those eighteen Premier League matches against West Bromwich Albion, the longest perfect scoring record of any side against a single opponent in Premier League history.

Arsenal have also lost only once and drawn once in their last twelve matches away from home, collecting a mammoth 30 points out of a possible 36.

Contributor’s Pick

West Bromwich Albion will host Arsenal on the back of two losses in their last two matches against Leicester City and Manchester United. The Baggies have, in fact, lost four of their last six Premier League games while Arsenal have won five of their last six league fixtures, drawing against Tottenham Hotspur only.

Based on current form, Arsenal should comfortably win with a 3-1 scoreline.