The Gunners will be able to call on home comforts for their Arsenal Vs Burnley clash when the Premier League enters the 18th round of matches on Saturday 22nd December, and while Burnley will be keen on rising off the relegation red zone, The Gunners will be hoping to recover lost ground, with a win that will not see them rise from fifth place but will keep third placed Tottenham Hotspurs and fourth placed Chelsea within touching distance.
Arsenal no doubt served a shock with their 2 – 3 loss at the hands of lowly Southampton last wekened, with the Saints going into the match as the side on the least wins in the season. But The Gunners’ ardent followers will argue that it was expected, with the team depleted defensively, even though they have always had the defensive concerns in Unai Emery’s reign.
It was clearly a labored performance from Arsenal but Burnley can’t claim to be in a better position to stop Arsenal, though they will approach the match fresher than Arsenal, who had a tough midweek clash with their arch rivals, Tottenham on Wednesday, being kicked out from the League Cup by a 2-0 margin, ahead of Saturday’s Arsenal Vs Burnley clash.
With no midweek engagements, Burnley can only turn focus on the Arsenal Vs Burnley clash and here we take a look at some of the talking points ahead of the match.
Arsenal’s Defensive Woes Ahead Of The Arsenal Vs Burnley Game
One aspect that has seen very little change since Unai Emery took over at the London side, is their defensive mettle. The Gunners are the side with the least clean sheets in the top five, and this has also meant they have a massively slashed goal difference.
It is going to be even harder for Arsenal with the team having to do with the injury to defender Hector Bellerin who picked a calf strain in the loss to Southampton. Skipper Laurent Koscielny doesn’t seem to be at his best after returning from injury.
🏥 Injury News ahead of #ARSTOT, part 2:
• Lichtsteiner (knock) fully fit & available
• Bellerín (calf), Mustafi (hamstring), Kolasinac (thigh) being assessed ahead of game.#AFC #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/dNSfbMt89k
— Cannon Insider (@CannonInsider) December 18, 2018
In the Southampton game, he was culpable by large in the loss and Arsenal will be banking on Mustafi, who is returning from suspension and Sead Kolasinac too.
Lacazette Impact
Arsenal’s French forward Alex Lacazette has already netted six times in the league but more crucially is his impact in the team this season, and his understanding on the pitch with top scorer Pierre Emerick Aubameyang.
Together, the two have scored a total of 16 league goals and Laca was at it again in the weekend loss, as he came off the bench at half time and eight minutes later he provided the assist for the second goal. He will definitely be crucial in the game.
Arsenal’s potent attack will not be limited to just the two; the team is the joint second best scoring side, behind Manchester City and taking on the Clarets in the Arsenal Vs Burnley clash, the side which has one of the poorest defenses in the league, will be a plus for Arsenal.
Arsenal Grit
Unai Emery has failed to stamp authority into the Arsenal defense but there’s no question about the team’s improved fighting spirit this season. The Arsenal today is not the same as the one under Arsene Wenger and one factor that remains undisputed is that this team can fight for a top four finish as they push for a return to the UEFA Champions League.
Improving Burnley
Burnley are still rooted in the relegation region but going by their start to the season, they have been improving massively in the recent weeks. They have not been able to keep many clean sheets lately, but they have cut down on the number of goals they have been conceding.
The team conceded 10 goals in the league in October, that tally was slashed by four, to six in November and they have also conceded six in December, which normally comes with a crazy schedule. In the last two matches, they have conceded just once and kept one clean sheet, and definitely, they will be keen to build on this run.
Away Day Woes
Burnley have not been so good playing away from home and while they have been improving in their recent matches, they will head to The Emirates for the Arsenal Vs Burnley fixture well aware that they need to change this aspect, but meeting an Arsenal side without a home loss since the opening day of the season, to Manchester City, will prove to be a tough outing for the visiting side.
Burnley have managed three league wins in the season but of those, only one has come away from home, against a struggling Cardiff City. They have played 13 away matches all season across all competitions, and it will call on a lot from them to change that at Emirates.
The last five away matches for Burnley have produced four losses, and one draw, with just one clean sheet. They have failed to score in four of their last five away matches in the league and have conceded 11 goals in the four matches.
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The Arsenal Vs Burnley game will be the fourth match against a London side in Burnley’s last five away matches. They have lost the previous three.
With all the stakes heading to the Arsenal Vs Burnley match, the writing is on the wall for Burnley. Arsenal are the dominant side in this fixture and having beaten Burnley in each of the last eight meetings, and holding on a run of 10 matches unbeaten against the visitors, which only has one draw, the Londoners will be the best bet to pick points here.
The Arsenal Vs Burnley match will definitely be one of the most followed games in the 18th round and best odds in this Premier League clash can be picked out here.
