English Premier League preview: Arsenal vs Norwich City

The Gunners will be looking to retain their lead at top of the Premier League table when they host Chris Hughton’s side on Saturday. Arsene Wenger’s men have started the season in excellent form, registering 5 wins in 7 matches. On the other hand, the Canaries have managed to secure just 7 points out of their 7 matches & currently sit in the relegation zone of the table.

Arsenal have scored 14 goals this season in the Premier league, only bettered by Manchester City, who have scored 17 & it seems that Wenger’s boys are finally gelling as a unit. Norwich – who have not won at Arsenal since 1992, have to cope with Arsenal’s midfield bolstered by the returns of Santi Cazorla & Tomas Rosicky.

Despite the strong start to the season, the Gunners have kept only one clean sheet in 7 matches. Not only Norwich have scored just 5 times this season, but also they have failed to score in 7 of their last 11 Premier League away games.

From the Press:

• Thomas Vermaelen, captain, Arsenal: “Norwich have some good players, including Ricky Van Wolfswinkel, who I know very well from my time in Holland. I played against him when he first came through into the first team at Vitesse and he then went to Utrecht and abroad to Portugal and always scored a lot of goals. He is a clinical goalscorer; he makes good runs and is someone that we will definitely need to watch closely.”

• Chris Hughton, manager, Norwich City: “What you can’t do is you can’t go to the Emirates with any type of fear. You’ve got to go there to do your best to get something out of the game, and it’s a good opportunity for us to do that. What we need to do is take all the good things from that performance into the game at Arsenal, but we’re aware of what the task is because of how well they’re playing at the moment.”

Team News:

• Arsenal: Tomas Rosicky & Santi Cazorla returns to the matchday squad along with Mesut Ozil who bruised his knee in midweek international match. Bacary Sagna will have a test while Podolski, Sanogo, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Diaby remain sidelined.
• Norwich City: Midfielder Anthony Pilkington faces a late fitness test due to a hamstring injury. Elliott Bennett (knee) is unavailable while winger Robert Snodgrass returns to the squad.

OPTA Stats:

• Arsenal have collected more points (56) and more wins (17) in the Premier League in 2013 than any other side.
• Norwich have scored in each of their last seven league games against Arsenal, but have collected just four points in this run.
• The Gunners have the longest current unbeaten run in the top-flight (six games) and have a longer run of scoring in consecutive games than any other side in the Premier League (12 games).
• Despite committing a league-high 22 fouls this season, Ricky van Wolfswinkel is yet to pick up a yellow card.
• Norwich have conceded their first goal of the match earlier than any other Premier League side on average this season (29th minute).
• Arsenal have scored a league-high four goals in the opening 15 minutes this term, and a league-high five in the 15 minute period after half-time.
• Arsenal have the best shooting accuracy in the Premier League this campaign, hitting the target with 57.5 per cent of their shots.

Match Appointments

• Referee: Lee Probert.
• Assistants: R Ganfield, M Scholes.
• Fourth Official: K Hill.