Good morning! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for today's early Premier League kickoff as Arsenal host
Burnley at the Emirates Stadium!
Wolves and Liverpool got the final gameweek before Christmas underway last night, but the prospect of another away win here looks bleak with Burnley struggling at the wrong end of the table. Arsenal have endured a miserable week themselves, though, so there is a glimmer of hope for the visitors.
We will take a closer look at both sides a little later, but first let's check out the team news...
ARSENAL STARTING XI: Leno; Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Monreal, Kolasinac; Elneny, Guendouzi, Xhaka, Ozil; Aubameyang, Lacazette
ARSENAL SUBS: Cech, Lichtsteiner, Torreira, Ramsey, Iwobi, Saka, Nketiah
BURNLEY STARTING XI: Hart; Long, Tarkowski, Mee; Bardsley, Hendrick, Cork, Westwood, Taylor; Barnes, Wood
BURNLEY SUBS: Heaton, Lowton, Cokes, Gibson, Vydra, McNeil, Koiki
What can we make of those two sides, then?
Well the headline news as far as the hosts are concerned is that Mesut Ozil returns to the starting lineup, having been left out entirely against Spurs in midweek for "tactical reasons".
The omission raised questions over his future at the club, but Emery recently insisted that he does remain in his plans and sure enough he starts this one today.
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The official team sheet released by Arsenal is a little muddled, but what we
think is going to happen is that either Xhaka or Mohamed Elneny - who is given a very rare start - will play as part of a three-man defence.
Xhaka has carried out that role in recent games - including against Spurs in midweek - but the inclusion of Monreal, who is another left-footed player, in that central three could also force Emery to push Elneny - a right-footer who has also played in defence before - back instead.
That would make a back three of Elneny/Xhaka, Sokratis and Monreal, with Maitland-Niles given the nod ahead of Lichtsteiner at wing-back and Sead Kolasinac making his return from injury on the opposite flank.
Whichever of Elneny or Xhaka that does not start in defence will partner Guendouzi in the central midfield role in a 3-4-3 formation, which also sees Ozil - captain for the night - Aubameyang and the returning Lacazette lead the line.
Aubameyang has been Arsenal's main dangerman this season, and since his arrival almost 12 months ago he has now been directly involved in 27 goals from his last 30 Premier League appearances - scoring 20 and assisting seven.
He is expected to start out on the left today as Lacazette plays through the middle - one of five changes from midweek including a notable one which sees Lucas Torreira rested/dropped to the bench.
Burnley also go for a three-man defence, having trialled it against Tottenham last week and very nearly got something out of the game.
Long, Tarkowski and Mee are the trio selected once again as Burnley look to stop the flood of goals they have been conceding this season and rediscover their far superior defensive form of last season.
The Clarets' problems extend further than just the defence, though, and that is perhaps best shown by the fact that their joint-top scorer in the league this season is James Tarkowski with three.
Sam Vokes is the only player who can match that taly, and he is missing entirely today as Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood lead the line in what looks like a 3-5-2 formation to start with.
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In reality, that is more likely to be a back five for the most part, with wing-backs Bardsley and Taylor expected to put their defensive duties first in such a difficult game.
Burnley have been hit in the wide areas by injuries to Gudmundsson and Brady - neither of whom are fit to return for this one - while they also lost Aaron Lennon last weekend to a knee injury which required surgery.
There are two changes from the team which lost to Tottenham last weekend, with Chris Wood replacing Brady and Jeff Hendrick coming in for the injured Lennon too.
There is a notable inclusion on the bench too, with young left-back Ali Koiki making the Burnley matchday squad for the first time.
It is a Burnley team that will look to get in the faces of the Arsenal players, but the soft underbelly which has plagued the Gunners in recent years appears to be on its way out under
Unai Emery.
There are still plenty of problems to address - the defence probably being the main one of those - but they have made definite progress during their first half-season or so under the new boss and the future is looking a lot brighter now than it was for much of Arsene Wenger's final years at the club.
Top four would have been the aim for Emery this season - which in itself would be an achievement considering how far off the pace Arsenal were last season - and it is a goal they are still well in touch with approaching the halfway point of the campaign.
Last weekend's 3-2 defeat to Southampton saw them fall three points adrift of those Champions League spots, but a victory here would draw them back level with Chelsea - at least under the Blues host Leicester later today.
The Gunners may be playing catch-up, then, but they sat seventh in the table at this stage last season and are now two places and five points better off under Emery.
Even so, they come into this match off the back of a damaging week which not only saw their 22-game unbeaten run ended by struggling Southampton, but then saw them crash out of the EFL Cup at the hands of bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur on home turf on Wednesday.
Arsenal had plenty of chances during that North London derby, but they were wasteful and, although they also hit the woodwork three times, they were second-best to Spurs for the most part as goals from Son and Alli made the difference.
Burnley appear to be almost ideal opposition for Arsenal to face as they look to bounce back from those defeats, and surely today is a chance for the Gunners to finally lead a Premier League game at half time for the first time this season.
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Last weekend's defeat to Southampton also ended Arsenal 14-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, and while their streak was perhaps not as dominant as the length of it suggests, they did pick up decent results against Liverpool, Manchester United and Spurs in that time.
However, another loss this afternoon would see them fall to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since Emery's very first two games in charge, and three successive losses across all competitions for the first time since March.
March was also the last time that Arsenal suffered successive home defeats across all competitions, although in the Premier League they have only lost twice in front of their own fans this calendar year - both of which came at the hands of Manchester City.
This is their final home game of 2018 so they will want to give their fans something to cheer about before seeing out the year away to Brighton on Boxing Day and then Liverpool next weekend.
Arsenal have an imperious record in these types of games too, having won an incredible 27 successive home league matches against teams in the relegation zone - stretching back to a 4-4 draw with Tottenham in 2008.
It is 11 years since the Gunners suffered a home defeat to a team that began the day in the bottom three, when they fell to a 1-0 loss against West Ham.
That is the size of the task awaiting Burnley, then, and it is not one that they have shown many signs of overcoming so far this season.
The difference between this season and last is quite remarkable for the Clarets, who actually sat above Arsenal after 17 games of the 2017-18 campaign and were only outside the Champions League places on goal difference having won nine and lost just four of their games.
Fast forward 12 months and Burnley now sit a whopping 12 places and 19 points worse off than they did just a year ago, with goal difference this time keeping them in the relegation zone.
Avoiding defeat today would see them climb out of the bottom three temporarily, but even considering how drastically Burnley overachieved last season, it is an alarming decline from the Clarets.
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So what is the major change behind the 19-point difference between last season and this?
Well, it is quite easy to identify, if not to fix. Burnley had scored only one more goal at this stage of 2017-18 than they have managed so far this season, but they have conceded 21 more at the other end.
Only the top two of Manchester City and Manchester United had conceded fewer than Burnley at this stage of last season, whereas now only bottom-placed Fulham have conceded more than Burnley's 33.
The Clarets come into this match having won just one in their last 10 league games, losing seven of those including four of their last five. The only victory in that time was a narrow 1-0 triumph at home to Brighton.
One concern for Dyche may also be that game number 18 of last season was the first of an 11-match winless streak for Burnley - a run they simply cannot afford to suffer again this time around having not already banked a decent number of points.
Defeat for Burnley today would guarantee that they spend Christmas Day in the bottom three - having been seventh 12 months previously - although they can consider themselves unfortunate to have come away with nothing from their last encounter.
Like Arsenal, the Clarets are coming into this match off the back of a defeat to Spurs, with Christian Eriksen breaking their resolve in stoppage time at Wembley last weekend.
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Burnley have now lost all eight of their matches against teams in the top half of the table in 2018-19 by an aggregate score of 23-4, and their record against top-six teams is unsurprisingly poor too.
Dyche's side have won only one of their last 28 games against top-six opposition - their 3-2 triumph over Chelsea on the opening day of last season - losing 21 of those matches.
Their away form is poor too, having picked up only six points from the last 33 on offer on the road, not to mention failing to even score in seven of their last 10 such Premier League outings.
Only three teams - Southampton, Cardiff and Fulham - have picked up fewer points on their travels this season, and incredibly you have to go back to 1969 for Burnley's last top-flight away win in December.
PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at the Emirates Stadium, which means that it is time for a prediction!
It is hard to see anything other than an Arsenal win today. Burnley may not make it easy for them, having given Spurs such a close run last weekend, but the Gunners should still be coming away from this one with all three points.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Arsenal 2-0 Burnley
Arsenal have a formidable record against Burnley in recent years, winning each of their last eight meetings and nine of their last 10, drawing the other.
The Gunners have conceded just four goals in those 10 games too, and never more than once in a game, with Burnley's last win over Arsenal coming in the League Cup 10 years ago.
The Clarets have lost all six of their competitive fixtures at the Emirates by an aggregate score of 18-3, while their run of away defeats to Arsenal at any ground runs to seven games and stretches back to 1974.
Unsurprisingly, then, Burnley have lost all four previous Premier League trips to Arsenal, conceding 13 goals and scoring just twice in that time.
Burnley enjoyed a fine campaign last season, but one of their lowest points came on this ground in May as Arsenal ran out 5-0 winners - with Aubameyang helping himself to a brace and Lacazette, Kolasinac and Iwobi also getting on the scoresheet.
It was a lot less emphatic in the reverse fixture at Turf Moor, but Arsenal still came out on top courtesy of Alexis Sanchez's 90th-minute penalty.
Right, we're almost ready to get started at the Emirates - let's have a quick reminder of the team news before we do get going...
ARSENAL STARTING XI: Leno; Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Monreal, Kolasinac; Elneny, Guendouzi, Xhaka; Ozil; Aubameyang, Lacazette
BURNLEY STARTING XI: Hart; Long, Tarkowski, Mee; Bardsley, Hendrick, Cork, Westwood, Taylor; Barnes, Wood
KICKOFF: Here we go, then! Arsenal get us underway at the Emirates!
CHANCE! Early chance for Arsenal to break the deadlock as Lacazette feeds the ball into Aubameyang, who nudges it into the path of the overlapping Maitland-Niles. His low strike is well saved by Hart, and then Tarkowski did really well to scramble it clear with Aubameyang following in.
CHANCE! Burnley immediately respond by hitting Arsenal on the counter as Barnes gives the ball to Westwood, who only has the keeper to beat but drags a poor effort wide of the target when he should have done better.
It looks as though it will be a midfield diamond for Arsenal today, with Ozil in the number 10 role behind the front two of Aubameyang and Lacazette. Interesting formation from Emery.
Scrappy play as Elneny gives the ball away twice in quick succession to give Burnley some encouragement, but the Gunners scramble it clear. Good response from the visitors to that early scare, though.
SAVE! Lacazette collects the ball down the left channel and tries to feed it back to Guendouzi, but a Burnley toe takes it to Xhaka instead. He goes for goal first time, but Hart gets down to make a solid save.
CHANCE! Burnley's goal is living a charmed life in these opening exchanges! This time Lacazette stands a cross up into the box which Elneny meets with a firm header. His effort is blocked before in pinballs around the six-yard box, and Burnley are eventually able to hack it clear.
Plenty of action in the opening 10 minutes of this one, and it all started with these end-to-end chances...
Burnley have faced 70 more shots than any other team in the Premier League this season, and that tally will only grow as this match goes on. Arsenal are looking dangerous whenever they come forward right now.
GOAL! ARSENAL 1-0 BURNLEY (PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG)
GOAL! Arsenal do make the early breakthrough, and it is an 11th Premier League goal of the season for Aubameyang!
Ozil deserves huge credit for his role in the goal, though, having picked out an exquisite pass into the box for Kolasinac, putting just enough weight and spin on the ball for the overlapping full-back. He just keeps the ball in play by knocking it back into a dangerous area, where Aubameyang is waiting to fire home.
This could be another long afternoon for Burnley. Arsenal are playing with a swagger and the visitors are struggling to deal with them when they come forward at the moment.
SAVE! Arsenal come pouring forward down the left once again and the ball eventually finds its way to Maitland-Niles inside the area, but after working space to shoot he fires his effort straight at Hart.
Here is that opening Arsenal goal, including that delightful pass from Ozil. This is what he can do...
It has not been one-way traffic in the opening quarter of this match by any means, and Burnley will have seen enough to suggest that they could still drag their way back into this match. They need to tighten things up at the back if they are to do that, though.
The flow of chances has just slowed in the last few minutes after a frantic opening 20 minutes or so. Arsenal will feel that there are a few more goals in this one for them, but the next one could be crucial.
This man is right in the mix for the Premier League Golden boot this season, having drawn back level with Mohamed Salah on 11 with the opener today. What a signing he has been for the Gunners...
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We've had half an hour in this match now and Emery will be pretty happy with what he has seen for the most part so far. Defensively they were shaky at times in the opening exchanges, but they look in control of this one now.
Kevin Friend wants a word with Ashley Barnes here - perhaps for a word out of place. A firm warning for the Burnley striker.
One warning sign for Burnley: Aubameyang also opened the scoring after 14 minutes of Arsenal's 5-0 win here last season, and the second goal did not arrive until half time on that occasion.
Ashley Barnes is absolutely fuming here. He and Sokratis have a scuffle on the touchline and Barnes is accusing the Arsenal defender of throwing an elbow. More players get involved before the referee arrives to calm things down.
YELLOW CARD! After all that, Barnes is the only man in the book for his furious reaction. Sokratis did catch Barnes with an elbow during their wrestling match on the floor, but it did not appear to be too serious.
ARSENAL SUB: More defensive injury woes for Arsenal here as Monreal is forced off, being replaced by Stephan Lichtsteiner.
It now looks as though Arsenal have gone to a back three, with Xhaka dropping in and Lichtsteiner joining Sokratis. Yet another defensive reshuffle - and the same back three that started against Southampton last time out.
YELLOW CARD! Sokratis has really got under the skin of Barnes, who once again reacts angrily to a challenge from the defender here. Barnes needs to be careful as he very nearly lost his temper again there - having already gone into the book for doing so once - but this time it is Sokratis who is shown yellow.
I would not be too surprised to see Barnes or Sokratis taken off at half time - most likely Barnes as he is the one who looks to be most likely to react and pick up a second yellow.
Brilliant defending from Long as he pinches the ball off Lacazette when the striker was breaking into the box. He had to get that one right, and it was spot on.
There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this first half.
HALF TIME: ARSENAL 1-0 BURNLEY
Arsenal lead at half time for the first time this season! The Gunners are one up against Burnley following a first half in which both sides enjoyed chances.
Burnley are in this game and Arsenal are certainly not having things all their own way, although it is still the home side who looked most like scoring for much of that first half.
The only goal of the game so far came from Aubameyang, who fired home from Kolasinac's cut-back into the middle of the area.
The real architect of the goal was Mesut Ozil, though, as he picked out an incredible pass to Kolasinac on the overlap, allowing the full-back to set up the striker.
Arsenal have created a number of other chances too, the first of which came after less than two minutes when Maitland-Niles drew a smart low save from Hart.
Burnley responded to that one immediately, though, and could have broken the deadlock just seconds later when they hit the Gunners on the counter, only for Westwood to drag his tame finish wide of the target.
Xhaka, Elneny and Maitland-Niles have also threatened on other occasions for Arsenal so far, but Emery will want his side to take more control over the game in the second half.
A second goal could well kill the game off and open the floodgates for the Gunners, but if Burnley get the next goal then it could become very interesting indeed.
KICKOFF: Burnley get us back underway for the second half! No changes at the break for either side.
Painful one for Leno as he comes charging off his line and gets a boot to the abdomen from Wood in the process. The Arsenal keeper just got to the ball ahead of the Burnley striker.
YELLOW CARD! ...indeed, Wood has gone into the book for that challenge.
GOAL! ARSENAL 2-0 BURNLEY (PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG)
GOAL! Arsenal have the second early in the second half as they hit Burnley on the counter-attack!
Guendouzi releases Kolasinac down the left and he gives it inside for Lacazette. Aubameyang is out on the left and Lacazette duly finds him, and from there the new league top scorer blasts a slightly-deflected finish past Hart.
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Painful one for Guendouzi here as he is caught by a knee in the small of the back from Barnes. The youngster will need treatment here.
Here is that second Aubameyang goal, which may well have taken the game beyond Burnley now...
Burnley have failed to score in their last three league away games and in seven of their last 10, so their chances to netting two here today looks bleak. One more goal conceded and then it will all be about damage limitation.
Almost a chance for Burnley as Arsenal's defenders rush out from a free kick and Wood collects the ball inside the area. However, his touch lets him down and Sokratis is able to get back and make the challenge. It is poor from the linesman's though, as four Burnley players were offside.
This is a good spell from Burnley at the moment. They have been denied a penalty shout for a push from Kolasinac inside the area and are seeing plenty of the ball now. The latest attack comes to an end when Barnes slices a volley on the turn well over.
YELLOW CARD! Guendouzi picks up a yellow card for a sliding challenge on Hendrick. This one is really bubbling under the surface at the moment.
ARSENAL SUB: Change for the hosts as Lucas Torreira replaces Elneny.
YELLOW CARD! Kevin Friend has his hands full at the moment! Mee is the latest player in the book for a trip on Aubameyang, while Cook joins him for a foul on Guendouzi earlier in the move.
Torreira tries his luck from the resulting free kick, but fires it well off target.
A couple of stats to show just how impressive Aubameyang has been for Arsenal so far...
GOAL! ARSENAL 2-1 BURNLEY (ASHLEY BARNES)
GOAL! Game on now! Burnley have responded well to that second goal going in, and they pull one back here!
It is a scrappy one as a scramble inside the area falls into the path of Barnes, who drills his finish past Leno. Burnley are right back in this one!
Arsenal will kick themselves if they throw this one away. Burnley have turned this into a scrappy affair since going two behind, and that has suited the visitors.
Almost a chance for Arsenal as Kolasinac's low pass into the box is just behind Lacazette, who cannot drag it back into his path.
That Burnley goal has just changed the atmosphere inside the Emirates Stadium a little. The hosts looked to be cruising to all three points, but now there is a little bit more tension in the air.
CHANCE! Big chance for Burnley as Barnes tees the ball up for Cork, who is in plenty of space on the edge of the box. He tries to pick out the far corner, but gets his finish all wrong.
Kevin Friend has a word with Westwood and Burnley's skipper Mee after he clattered into Xhaka, just to calm things down a little.
Just over 15 minutes remaining in this one now and Arsenal are struggling to find an answer to Burnley's physical tactics in this second half. Wood is the latest to leave an Arsenal player in a heap.
I must say, it would be a surprise if both teams ended up with 11 men on the field in this one. It has been a feisty affair today.
BURNLEY SUBS: Although, Burnley have just withdrawn two of the players on yellow cards as Matej Vydra and Sam Vokes replace Barnes and Wood.
ARSENAL SUB: Arsenal also make a change as
Alex Iwobi replaces Lacazette.
Westwood slides a pass through towards Vydra, who initially looks to have got the better of Xhaka inside the box, only for the referee to award a delayed free kick. It was a soft one.
There is concern for Maitland-Niles here after he suffered a blow to his head when going for the ball. Arsenal have made all three changes already, so they will be hoping that he can continue.
BURNLEY SUB: Final change for the visitors too as Matthew Lowton replaces Bardsley.
Just five minutes remaining in this one now! Burnley are still not out of this game, but they need a goal soon!
There is a level of nervousness around the Emirates at the moment. The fans - and the players - know that this one remains on a knife edge.
Arsenal are almost able to kill the game off at the end of another counter as Kolasinac fires a low cross right across the face of goal, but there is no-one there to provide the touch it needs!
There will be five minutes of added time at the end of this match.
GOAL! ARSENAL 3-1 BURNLEY (ALEX IWOBI)
GOAL! Arsenal finally kill the game off and avoid the nerves of that stoppage time with their third goal!
Ozil dribbles into the area and sees his tame shot squirm into the path of Iwobi, who makes no mistake with his finish. There is a question of offside, but it was a tight one.
YELLOW CARD! Westwood picked up a booking for his complaints against the lack of an offside decision there.
FULL TIME: ARSENAL 3-1 BURNLEY
Arsenal return to winning ways with victory over Burnley, then, temporarily moving level on points with Chelsea in fourth thanks largely to a brace from Aubameyang.
The league's top scorer netted either side of half time before Ashley Barnes made things interesting with a goal back shortly after the hour mark. However, Alex Iwobi finally wrapped up the points for Arsenal in stoppage time to leave Burnley languishing in the relegation zone.
Right, that is all we have time for today!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for the early Premier League kickoff as Arsenal beat Burnley 3-1 to move level on points with the top four for a few hours at least. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
