The teams have arrived. Somehow the stadium looks bigger without fans (insert joke here about it also being louder, if you must).
If Leicester win here despite being deprived of Maddison, Chilwell and Pereira, it will be a humungous achievement. They will need a big game from Tielemans, who’s brilliant but has been off the boil for a while.
A word from the managers
Arteta on his team selection, specifically starting Bellerin and Lacazette: “We have to rotate players, we need fresh legs. Everyone is doing well. “
Rodgers when asked whether his team are playing with three or four at the back: “You’ll see! But whatever way we set up it will always be the same style. We’ll always be aggressive and try to score goals whatever the shape …. [After the Palace result] You can see the confidence and smiles back in the players. Hopefully that will continue.”
Chelsea’s 3-2 victory over Palace earlier today means Leicester have been shunted down to fourth in the table, with this match at the Emirates in hand.
“Yes, it’s all looking terrific for Arsenal,” booms Charles Antaki. “Even in the 2003-4 Invincible season, the team only managed 4 or more consecutive wins twice, so a victory here would put this lot right up there. The good times are certainly, unmistakably, definitely back. Surely?” I certainly can’t think of anything that could possibly go wrong now at Arsenal. Absolutely no reason to be nervous about Vardy v David Luiz …
Leicester have not won away to Arsenal since 1973 and today’s team news makes for ominous reading for them. James Maddison and Ben Chilwell have not made the fitness cut, two key absentees. Ryan Bennet’s first start suggests they’re going to play with a back three, as they did in the second half of the win against Palace, with the supreme utility man Marc Albrighton likely to act as a left wingback. On the plus side, that could be a potent front three if the service is right.
As for Arsenal, it looks like they’re also going with a back three, and why not, it has served them well in recent weeks. It’s the formation in which David Luiz looks most secure: it’ll be fascinating to see how he deals with Jamie Vardy today, as the the striker has bedazzled him in the past. Up front, Alexandre Lacazette gets the nod at centre-forward, with young Nketiah on the bench, along with Nicolas Pepe, who’s available again.
Updated
Teams:
Arsenal: Martinez; Mustafi, David Luiz, Kolasinac; Bellerin, Ceballos, Xhaka, Tierney; Saka, Lacazette, Aubemeyang
Subs: Macey, holding, Sokratis, Maitland-Niles, Torreira, Willock, Nelson, Pepe, Nketiah
Leicester: Schmiechel; Bennett, Evans, Soyuncu; Justin, Ndidi, Tielemans, Albrighton; Perez, Vardy, Iheanacho
Subs: Ward, Morgan, Fuchs, Barnes, Praet, Gray, James, Mendy, Choudhury
Referee: C Kavanagh
Preamble
Hello. What a doozy of a game we have in store here. The relegation brawl has its appeal, but the race for Champions League qualification is the most intriguing unresolved story in this Premier League season. Today’s duel will have a big say in how it plays out: given the quality of the other teams challenging for the top four, neither Leicester or Arsenal can afford to lose.
That Arsenal are even being mentioned as top four contenders is a tribute to
media hype merchants
Once vilified players such as Granit Xhaka and Shkodran Mustafi suddenly look valuable and gifted youngsters such as Bukayo Sako and Eddie Nketiah have raised hopes of great things ahead. OK, it’s only four matches but it’s been enough to sow optimism in an Arsenal swamp of despond. Before the league resumed they were in ninth spot, eight points off the top four. Now they are seventh, seven off the top four. Small but tangible progress. Beat Leicester and belief would really swell.
The progress of Leicester, meanwhile, has been one of the feelgood stories of the season but, just as a top four finish started to look certain, their form has dipped. They got back on track with a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend but they have yet to truly sparkle in the way they did earlier in the campaign. Will that win over Palace help them get their back groove? Or will Arsenal make their nerves jangle even more? That is what we are here to find out. Humdinger ahoy!
