- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Arsenal will look to reclaim top spot on the EPL ladder when they head to The Hawthornes to meet West Bromwich Albion. Join us for live scores and commentary from 2.00am AEST.
West Brom have injury concerns and could be without strikers Shane Long, Victor Anichebe, Nicolas Anelka – denied a game against the club he made his name at – and Scott Sinclair, who has been ruled out until after the international break with a hamstring problem.
The Baggies have lost two out of three at home so far, but look forward to the game in much better heart than they perhaps would have done only a few weeks ago.
While alot of the pre-match media focus may concentrate on Arsenal ahead of the game, West Brom were actually the stand-out performers in the EPL last weekend with their excellent 2-1 win over the champions of England at Old Trafford.
The win doubled Albion’s maximum points for the season.
With their previous win a 3-0 home victory over Sunderland, it may provide more evidence that the Baggies are settling down, after a less than stellar start which had witnessed a meagre two points gained from their first four games.
Forward Saido Berahino is in line to make his first Premier League start today after his match-winning performance against Manchester United last weekend.
Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna faces a three-week lay-off after picking up a hamstring injury in Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Napoli, where they outclassed the lacklustre visitors.
To cover the right back spot Carl Jenkinson is set to come into the team, while England midfielder Jack Wilshere is pressing for a recall after starting on the bench in midweek.
The recent League cup visit saw a 4-3 win on penalties for the Gunners (the match finished 1-1 after extra time), but there will be a vastly different line-up this time as Wenger’s side go for an 11th straight win in all competitions, having won their last eight away matches in the league.
Arsenal’s recent record at The Hawthorns is good, too, winning on three of their last four visits.
Arsenal have lost the EPL’s top spot by kick off at The Hawthorns after Liverpool’s win but nothing it seems can dent the positive vibes emanating from the club at the moment.
Even despite Jack Wilshere being photographed with a cigarette in his mouth in the early hours of Wednesday morning after the Napoli victory.
The discontent that exploded after the Aston Villa defeat on the opening day of the season now seems a long way off, as the club and its supporters have been buoyed with the signing of Mesut Ozil and an excellent run of form.
Expectations have been so heightened that Wenger has even found himself having to play down talk of a possible EPL title challenge.
The game at the Hawthorns will be Arsenal’s second visit to play the Throstles within two weeks, but Steve Clarke’s developing team are in good spirits after their timely, and ultimately well-deserved win against Manchester United last Saturday.
It promises to be a captivating game. Catch it here on The Roar from 2.00am AEST.
Follow Layth on Twitter @laythy29
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.