Arsenal welcome Leeds United to the Emirates Stadium in a huge clash at opposite ends of the Premier League table.
Victory would see Arsenal stay fourth and move to within a point of third-placed Chelsea, whereas Leeds can go 16th with a win.
Team News
Ben White could return for Arsenal after missing last weekend’s win at West Ham with a muscle injury.
Kieran Tierney (knee) and Thomas Partey (thigh) both remain absent.
Leeds will be without Stuart Dallas for rest of the season as he recovers from a thigh injury suffered in last weekend’s defeat against Manchester City.
Liam Cooper (knee) is a doubt but Adam Forshaw (knee), Crysencio Summerville (ankle), Tyler Roberts (hamstring) and Patrick Bamford (foot) are absent.
Stat Attack
- Arsenal are unbeaten in their last five league meetings against Leeds (W4, D1).
- Leeds have won two of their last five league visits to Arsenal (W2, L3).
- Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have scored four goals in their last two league meetings against Leeds (W2).
- Arsenal have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight matches (W4, L4).
- Jack Harrison is Leeds’ highest-scoring European international in the Premier League this season with seven league goals – only Brazil’s Raphinha (10) has more goals than Harrison for Leeds in this campaign.
Prediction
Following Chelsea’s surprise draw at home to Wolves on Saturday, Arsenal now surely have to sniff a chance at third place even though they have the harder game in hand.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners though just need to now focus on their task in hand because despite delivering a solid defensive display in their win at West Ham last weekend, they failed to score from open play but got lucky from two clinical set pieces instead so an improved open attack is needed here.
Leeds meanwhile were absolutely torn to shreds defensively by Man City last week but can take heart from their pace and movement when got on the attack, which they need to really impose here and try get an early goal.
If Leeds do indeed get an early lead, this match could well get very interesting otherwise I fancy Arsenal to snatch a comfortable result, despite their poor defensive record in recent weeks.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Leeds
Result: Arsenal 2-1 Leeds
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