MX23RW : Thursday, April 25 04:43:59| >> :120:58756:58756:
[monks data]
Burnley logo
Premier League
Apr 11, 2015 at 5.30pm UK
 
Arsenal logo

0-1

FT(HT: 0-1)
Ramsey (12')

Preview: Burnley vs. Arsenal

Sports Mole previews Arsenal's trip to Turf Moor as the Gunners seek a season's-best eighth straight Premier League win against the relegation-threatened Clarets.

Second plays second from bottom in Saturday evening's Premier League kickoff as Burnley host Arsenal at Turf Moor.

The Gunners are looking to apply the most pressure possible to leaders Chelsea as they threaten to run away with the title, but will have their hands full with a Clarets side who held their North London rivals last weekend.



Burnley

George Boyd scores the opener for Burnley against Manchester City on March 14, 2015© Getty Images

The Clarets picked up another valuable point in their battle against the drop by holding Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor last Sunday, but may have been slightly aggrieved not to have taken all three as Danny Ings had the best chances of an uneventful game.

It was the fourth time this season that Burnley had avoided defeat at home to one of the division's top seven sides, and it is their ability to get results against the big boys which has kept them in the fight in recent weeks.

Their visit of Arsenal marks the end of a sequence of fixtures which has seen them play the top eight in consecutive games. The fact that they are only two points from safety heading into a comparatively easy run in is a good sign for Sean Dyche's charges.

Finding the net has been a problem of late, though; George Boyd's winner against Manchester City is the only goal that they have scored in their previous five matches, and Ings is goalless in his last six outings.

A player that seems destined to leave Burnley in the summer could hold the key to their chances of securing perhaps the most improbable survival in Premier League history, and one that has been made all the tougher by Queens Park Rangers' recent resurgence.

Recent form: DLLWDL



Arsenal

Olivier Giroud of Arsenal celebrates scoring his second goal with Francis Coquelin during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Arsenal at St James' Park on March 21, 2015© Getty Images

The Gunners are unquestionably the form team in the country right now, and they proved as much last weekend by dispatching of Liverpool 4-1 to effectively settle the top-four race.

Another positive performance and result against one of their fellow heavyweights is helping Arsenal shake off their reputation for faltering against the big clubs and also gives them a psychological edge ahead of a potential FA Cup final meeting with Brendan Rodgers's boys in May.

Three goals in eight minutes prior to half time killed off the Reds before Olivier Giroud secured his side a seventh successive Premier League win late on.

No team has managed eight wins on the bounce this term, but few would bet against a side who has scored 43 goals and conceded only 13 in all competitions since their New Year's Day defeat to Southampton.

Although this streak appears to have come too late for Arsene Wenger's men to mount a title challenge, with Chelsea holding a seven-point advantage and a game in hand, second is theirs for the taking.

That would represent Arsenal's best finish in a decade, and the Londoners have a chance to consolidate their position as prospective runners-up at Turf Moor ahead of their Manchester rivals doing battle on Sunday.

Recent form: WWWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWWWWW



Team News

Arsenal's English midfielder Jack Wilshere celebrates scoring an equalising goal bringing the score to 1-1 with teammate English striker Danny Welbeck during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Sta© Getty Images
Arsenal's English midfielder Jack Wilshere celebrates scoring an equalising goal bringing the score to 1-1 with teammate English striker Danny Welbeck during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Sta© Getty Images

Arsenal had Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta and even Abou Diaby emerge unscathed from an Under-21s game in midweek, but their long layoffs and the club's current form mean that they are unlikely to be in the first-team reckoning yet.

Laurent Koscielny is an injury doubt for the visitors and may not be risked with next weekend's FA Cup semi-final against Reading in mind, so Gabriel Paulista is expected to play alongside Per Mertesacker in defence.

Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott will likely have to be content with places on a bench which should include Wojciech Szczesny again after a knock.

Burnley's team has had a very familiar look to it all season. Seven players have featured in 28 or more of their 31 league games.

Sean Dyche is again expected to name an unchanged team, with Dean Marney, Kevin Long and Matty Taylor injury absentees.

Burnley possible starting lineup:
Heaton; Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee; Boyd, Arfield, Jones, Barnes; Ings, Vokes

Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Ospina; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Monreal; Coquelin, Cazorla; Ramsey, Sanchez, Ozil; Giroud



Head To Head

One of Burnley's few heavy defeats this season came in November's reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium as Alexis Sanchez scored twice in a 3-0 win for the Gunners.

Arsenal have not lost to Burnley in the league since 1974, but the Clarets did pull off a famous League Cup upset on their way to the last four of the competition in 2008.



Video Preview

Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:



Sports Mole Logo

We say: Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Burnley have shown this season that they will not roll over for anyone, but this Arsenal side appear almost untouchable at present. There is no doubting Burnley's desire and work rate, but an attack consisting of Giroud, Sanchez and Mesut Ozil could prove too much for them.



ID:216157: cacheID:216157:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:12160:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Martin Skrtel of Liverpool heads the equalising goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on December 21, 2014
Read Next:
Preview: Arsenal vs. Liverpool
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
10am
Blanch
Nadal
10am
Cachin
Ofner
10am
Elahi Galan
Bautista-Agut
10am
Gasquet
Sonego
10am
Hanfmann
Mensik
10am
Koepfer
Carballes Baena
10am
Kovacevic
Medjedovic
10am
Lajovic
Monteiro
10am
Machac
Ruusuvuori
10am
Michelsen
Fonseca
10am
Nishioka
Auger-Aliassime
10am
O'Connell
Arnaldi
10am
Purcell
Giron
10am
Ramos-Vinolas
Kotov
10am
Tabilo
Cobolli
10am
Zhizhen
Kecmanovic
10am
Azarenka
Maria
10am
Eala
Cirstea
10am
Annie Fernandez
Potapova
10am
Gauff
Rus
10am
Keys
Camelia-Begu
10am
Podoroska
Navarro
10am
Karolina Schmiedlova
Jabeur
10am
Swiatek
Wang
10am
Baez
Van Assche
10am
Coric
Zverev
10am
Martin Etcheverry
Shapovalov
10am
Humbert
Van De Zandschulp
10am
Hurkacz
Draper
10am
Marozsan
Cerundolo
10am
Paul
Klein
10am
Rublev
Bagnis
10am
Altmaier
Fils
10am
Darderi
Fritz
10am
Griekspoor
Daniel
10am
Munar
Struff
10am
Musetti
Seyboth Wild
10am
Navone
Rune
10am
Shevchenko
Alcaraz
10am
Alexandrova
Krueger
10am
Andreeva
Noskova
10am
Bejlek
Kalinskaya
10am
Boulter
Montgomery
10am
Bronzetti
Rybakina
10am
Collins
Danilovic
3pm
Cristian
Krejcikova
10am
Dolehide
Kalinina
10am
Garcia
Wang
10am
Linette
Sabalenka
10am
Pavlyuchenkova
Saville
10am
Sorribes Tormo
Svitolina
10am
Vekic
Sakkari
11.30am
Arango
Yastremska
11.30am
Osaka
Samsonova
11.30am
Ostapenko
Bouzas Maneiro
1pm
Haddad Maia
Errani
2.30pm
Lourdes Carle
Kudermetova
2.30pm
Mertens
Stephens
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Liverpool34228475344174
3Manchester CityMan City32227376324473
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd33165125150153
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331551369541550
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham34139125463-948
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Bournemouth34129134960-1145
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton321111105250244
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves34127154654-843
13Fulham34126165054-442
14Crystal Palace34109154456-1239
15Brentford3498175259-735
16Everton34118153648-1233
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3467214775-2825
19Burnley3458213769-3223
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3437243392-5916


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!