Last year’s top two in the Premier League – champions Leicester City and runners-up Arsenal – are set to face off on Saturday in an almost-immediate must-win with both teams coming off losses.
Arsenal fans are furious with the lack of activity in the transfer window, especially how it affected their team last week against Liverpool. With injuries to centerbacks Per Mertesacker and Gabriel, and fellow central defender Laurent Koscielny still regaining fitness after a long summer, manager Arsene Wenger was forced to start youngsters Calum Chambers and Rob Holding. Liverpool tore Arsenal’s defense apart, scoring four wonderful goals to defeat the Gunners 4-3.
Theo Walcott got the scoring underway 69 seconds after missing a penalty but two goals from Philippe Coutinho and a goal each from Adam Lallana and Sadio Mane put the Gunners down 4-1. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Chamners tried to start a comeback, but it was never completed as Arsenal lost 4-3.
Leicester City, on the other hand struggled against newly promoted Hull City. A Riyad Mahrez penalty gave the Foxes an early lead, but the Tigers struck back. Adama Diomande scored on the stroke of halftime, and Robert Snodgrass’ low shot beat Kasper Schmeichel as last year’s surprise champs fell 2-1.
The games between the two last season were both won by Arsenal, the only team to defeat Leicester twice last season, and one of only two teams to hand them a loss at all. Alexis Sanchez scored a hat trick and Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott each notched a goal to lead Arsenal to a 5-2 win on 26 September, while Danny Welbeck’s header at the death earned the Gunners a 2-1 victory on 14 February.
Here are three keys for Arsenal to find the W on Saturday:
Find the right combination tactically: Alexis struggled getting into the game in the No. 9 spot against Alexis, while Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain both scored from the wings. We’re not sure if Giroud will be available to start up top, but the key for Wenger will be picking the right players to play in the right positions. With Aaron Ramsey and Alex Iwobi both out for a month, filling the central attacking midfield spot and wing role will be important. Perhaps the best combination will be Giroud up top, with Alexis, Mesut Ozil and Oxlade-Chamberlain behind him, if Giroud and Ozil are ready. However it’s set-up, getting it right will be key.
Get Alexis in the game: Sanchez had lots of success against Leicester. He will be key to proceedings on Saturday and will need to get the time and space necessary for him to work his magic on the wing, which is where he plays best. He left the Emirates on Sunday with nothing to show for it.
Stronger defensive work ethic: Liverpool’s four goals were stunners. Those kind of goals can be stopped it the defensive shape is strong. Chambers and Holding, maybe Koscielny if he’s fit, need to stay closer to their opponents and blanket them. Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, Ahmed Musa and Shinji Okazaki were restrained just enough by Hull, but don’t count on them to let it happen twice. Vardy and Musa have intense speed and can finish well, while Okazaki is arguably one of the hardest-working players in the Premier League. Keeping those three at bay will be key.
