Arsenal will face Leicester City next in the Premier League and it is a game that they must win to keep themselves in the hunt for a European place, however unlikely that may be.
Brendan Rodgers’ side is having a fine season that could see them gatecrash the top four.
While the Foxes are flying high and closer to the top of the Premier League table, Arsenal’s inconsistent season has seen them struggle to even maintain a position in the top half.
Both teams enjoyed contrasting fortunes in the Europa League on Thursday as Leicester City was eliminated while Arsenal edged out Benfica.
Mark Lawrenson doesn’t expect the Gunners to take their European form into the Premier League and he predicts that the Foxes will beat them when both teams meet this weekend.
In predicting a 2-1 Arsenal loss, he said on the BBC: “Manchester City toyed with Arsenal last weekend and took it easy towards the end of their 1-0 win, which made the game look closer than it was.
“Leicester, meanwhile, were impressive against Aston Villa. Their front three of James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Jamie Vardy all looked really sharp, and I don’t think the Gunners will be able to handle them.
“Arsenal are stuck in mid-table and this game might show what they are missing from what it takes to get in the top four.
“Leicester play on the front foot and they are solid, have plenty of attacking spark and take their chances – the days where you might say they rely on Vardy to score his trademark breakaway goals are long gone.”
Arsenal’s top players are all available and Mikel Arteta has to get the best out of them in this game.
If they cannot get something from opponents of this quality, it will affect their morale from now on.
Arteta will surely start Willian, ignore Pepe and Nelson and Martinellli and Partey and play a side that makes no sense and lose.
I don’t want to be against the manager before the season’s over and many of the points lost come down to individual errors and red cards the manager has nothing to do with. But doing worse than last year is not going to be acceptable in any fans’ eyes and his team selection plus total lack of attacking football for most of the year make him an increasingly unlikely he’ll remain manager next season.
Arteta has doesn’t have long to get some consistency out of his squad, and his claims that his team selections are the result of some meritocracy ring utterly hollow when players like Pepe go on streaks scoring points and are sidelined for Willian who produces absolutely nothing.
Work rate on the training ground is good, but an ability to actually impact games is much, much, much more important.
We are in trouble until we get a proper manager. As I have said earlier even Fat Sam Alladyce would be better than Arteta. He knows nothing if you see the players he got rid of: a) a fantastic goal keeper who won us FA cup, Saliba and Matteo Guendouzzi. In their absence our club is suffering and losing unnecessarily. Please Mr Kroenke save our beloved Arsenal and give us a manager to rebuild our Arsenal. Arteta cant manage a fruit stall at local farmers market. The team’s play is shambolic under him. While you are at it, get rid of Edu as well.
All gooners with decent memory can remember how Edu ran down contract lying to Wenger and that is sacrilege.
The worst Arsenal will get 4rm this match is a draw. With my knowledge of Arsenal, we always do well in games that we are written off. We have beaten them this season in a cup match don’t 4get that. Expect a surprise 2morrow. But Arteta should leave in the summer even if we win both the EL & the EPL. Some of us are hypertensive & Arteta’s more than terrible.