Arsenal clash with Spurs in North London Derby

The North London Derby will spark into life on Sunday as Arsenal travel the short distance to White Hart Lane to challenge bitter foes Tottenham Hotspur.

The two meet knowing that defeat in this match could have dire consequences for the remainder of the season, and could even end current Premier League ambitions. For Tottenham, a win is needed to maintain the charge for fourth place and a Champions League place, the requirement set out at the start of the season after a summer of big spending.

Arsenal currently holds fourth place, but the club´s and manager Arsene Wenger´s ambitions lie beyond merely qualifying for the Champions League, although that is the minimum requirement. The Gunners look strong favourites for that fourth place (six points ahead of Spurs with a game in hand) but the players will have their sights set on the title still.

That looks more of a long shot than it did a month ago. Then Arsenal sat atop the league, but since the team has endured frustrating league form that has seen them slip to fourth, seven points behind leaders Chelsea (albeit with this game in hand). Injuries to key men at important points of the season seem to have hampered a mentally improved Arsenal this season, and it does look as though the Premier League trophy is out of reach.

However, the outlook for the remainder of the campaign is surprisingly upbeat considering the club´s league attempt has faltered and they have been knocked out of the Champions League. The FA Cup is Arsenal´s to lose and the fighting way the team left Europe provided a much needed shot of confidence. It looks as though the 8 year trophy drought could end this season, and if the team can defeat Tottenham and all but secure 4th place, the rest of the season can be spent chasing the FA Cup and an unlikely Premier League title.

Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood laid into his highly paid stars last week and questioned their commitment to the cause. That was a brave or stupid move, depending on how you look at it, and all eyes will be on the Spurs players to see if they back their manager on the pitch. The pressure is all on the home side here, with the club needing a win against Arsenal. However, expect the Gunners once again to have too much class for their North London rivals.

Arsenal looking for an unlikely win against Bayern

What a rollercoaster few weeks it has been for Arsenal, and now the club faces the toughest clash of the season as the players travel to Germany to take on Bayern Munich.

The current German, European, and World champions are in formidable form and hold a 2-0 advantage heading into this second leg after cruising to an easy win at the Emirate 2 weeks ago. On that occasion Arsenal had Wojciech Szczęsny sent off in the first half, but this time manager Arsene Wenger will be hoping to keep all eleven men on the pitch while also using last year as a barometer.

The Gunners trailed Bayern 3-1 at this stage of the competition last year and went to the Allianz Arena and took a 2-0. That was not enough to qualify, but an equal result this time would be enough to take the tie to extra time. The players have the quality and stranger things have certainly happened in football, but of course Bayern are arguably the best team in the world.

Arsene Wenger had the luxury of resting key men on Saturday as he watched his players win 4-1 against Everton to reach the FA Cup semi final. Oliver Giroud will likely come back into the team after his late show double on Saturday, while the glimpses of form from Mesut Ozil will encourage those inside the club and the fans.

However, there is no getting away from the fact that Bayern Munich posses the players to hurt Arsenal and the game will have to be approached with caution. It is interesting that many are writing off Arsenal´s chances in this match, but make no mistake Arsenal can win this and progress. It is unlikely, but don´t bet against this team and its growing mentality.

Arsenal tackle Everton with eye on Cup

Everton will visit the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal attempt to reach the semifinals of the FA Cup. After a rocky few weeks, the team will face a stern test from an Everton team that is in solid form leading into the match.

Arsenal´s season is at the make or break stage as losses to Stoke City and Bayern Munich have put the club on the verge of slipping out of the Champions League and the Premier League title race. Manager Arsene Wenger has promised to continue to fight on all fronts, but the Frenchman was eager to affirm this week that the FA Cup is a fantastic chance to win a trophy.

The Gunners are 10 time winners of the famed competition but have not lifted the Cup since 2004, adding further woe to the 8-year trophy drought. Arsenal has faced a tough path getting to this stage, seeing off North London rivals Tottenham, and then downing Coventry and Liverpool. Everton will provide a fresh challenge as the Merseyside club is thriving in the Premier League this season and is one of the surprise packages of the campaign.

However, Wenger will know that at home Arsenal´s destiny is in the hands of the players, although the six week injury to Jack Wilshere will hamper the manager´s midfield options. Everton tactician Roberto Martinez has his own injury problems with lynchpin defender Phil Jagielka out with a hamstring injury.

Whether a strong Arsenal team will be named is another matter, with the second leg of the Champions League tie with Bayern Munich next week. However, with the FA Cup representing a chance at a long awaited trophy, expect the Gunners to come out all guns blazing.

Arsenal Gunning for 3 Points against Stoke

Arsenal travel to the Britannia Stadium today for a tricky away match against Stoke City, a club that has often caused trouble for the Gunners. However, times have changed for both Stoke and Arsenal and manager Arsene Wenger will want nothing less than the full three points to keep his team´s title fight alive and kicking.

Under the stewardship of Tony Pulis, Stoke became known as a rough and tough football team and the clubs dogged tactics often disrupted Arsenal. However, this seems to be a mentally improved Gunners team and new Stoke manager Mark Hughes has injected more fluid football into the team. Yes, Stoke can still mix it, but their style plays into Arsenal´s hands for the first time in years.

Wenger will need to be wary though, after-all, Stoke took a headline grabbing win at Old Trafford earlier this month. With Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Manchester City and Bayern Munich coming up for Arsenal, the team will need to claim all the points here against a lesser team that has won just one game in its last 10 (albeit against Man Utd).

Arsenal won 4-1 against Sunderland last week, but the manager will certainly look to freshen up his team this week, with all eyes on Mesut Ozil. The club´s record signing has been off the boil of late and missed last week with a knock, but many perceived that he had in fact been dropped. Wenger and Ozil have spoken about the German´s struggles in adapting to the league, but he will likely start on the weekend, replacing Lukas Podolski.

The gaffer may be tempted to bring the inform Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain back into the fold after he yielded his starting place to Tomas Rosicky last weekend.

Whoever takes to the field, a win will be imperative as the club stares down an extremely tough March.

Arsenal Hopes to bounce back Today Sunderland

Arsenal will look to bounce back from the midweek loss to Bayern Munich when the team welcomes Sunderland to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Despite the loss on Wednesday and a troublesome few weeks, Arsene Wenger may have an easy job getting his players up for this match. The FA Cup win over Liverpool last week showed that the Gunners have a different mentality this season and the midweek loss was inevitable when Wojciech Szczęsny was sent off in the first half.

Giving the players the chance to bounce back this weekend will provide the manager with the perfect incentive, while the Premier League title race is still in full flow. A win against the Black Cats will keep Arsenal in the hunt and the team could even be top of the league again by Monday. However, despite a difficult season for Sunderland, the Northeastern club will pose a tough test.

The club is languishing in 18th place and fighting against relegation, but Gus Poyet has done a good job since coming into the club. However, Sunderland plays the Carling Cup Final next Sunday and the chance for the club to win silverware does not come around too often. Wenger will be hoping that the Sunderland players have one eye on Wembley, although some Black Cats players will be looking to book their place in the final starting 11.

In front of the Emirates crowd Arsenal will be clear favorites to win, and anything but three points would be hugely disappointing. Wenger could name the same 11 as Wednesday, but it is likely the Frenchman will bring Oliver Giroud back into the team, while Mesut Ozil is surely testing the manager´s patience and could be dropped for Lukas Podolski.

Can Arsenal Beat the Best Team in the World Today?

Arsenal will clash with arguably the best club side in the world later today as the Gunners welcome Bayern Munich to the Emirates.

The current German, European, and world champions are in formidable form and will present Arsenal with quality football and strong organization. If ever there was a test of where Arsenal are in terms of the Premier League and Champions League then this is it. If Arsene Wenger can mastermind a victory over two legs and progress to the next round, he will feel that his team will be favourites to win Europe´s premier competition.

However, there is a real danger that Bayern will come to the Emirates to flex their muscles and the German club is not averse to racking up high score lines. Indeed, Arsenal will have to be at their very best to defeat what is the most well oiled machine in the global game, while the flair in the Bayern team will also pose its own threats.

Under Pep Guardiola, the Bavarian club has become even better than the all conquering team of last season. Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern at this stage last season, but Wenger will take mixed emotions from the two legs last term. At the Emirates Bayern won convincingly, but Arsenal went to the Allianz Arena two weeks later and won 2-0.

Wenger will tell his players to play with the same expression and freedom as they did in that second leg, but deep down he will know a repeat of the first leg is also possible. Mikel Arteta is suspended for tomorrow´s match so Thomas Rosicky is likely to be called back into the team as Aaron Ramsey remains a long term absentee.

Kieran Gibbs, Bacary Sagna, and Oliver Giroud were on the bench for the FA Cup win over Liverpool on the weekend and will likely feature from the start on Wednesday. With Bayern in full flow it will be a tough match for Arsenal, but it will be riveting for the fans, even if it could get messy if the team is not up for it.

Arsenal Exact Revenge on Liverpool Today

Arsenal will be looking to get back on track and exact revenge on Liverpool when the two clubs clash this weekend in the FA Cup.

While the Gunners were humiliated 5-1 by Liverpool at Anfield last week, the team has a chance to set the record straight, and this time the match will be at the Emirates. However, much will depend on how Arsene Wenger sets up and how important the boss thinks the FA Cup is to the club this season. With a Premier League title bid in full swing and a tough Champions League meet with Bayern Munich next week, the Frenchman could be tempted to rest several key figures.

Expect Wenger to pick a strong team, but also expect this to be a very cup oriented lineup, with players like Oliver Giroud, Jack Wilshere, and possibly Santi Cazorla not starting. That of course will mean Arsenal will be under strength as they meet a Liverpool team that tore them apart last week. Wenger has not indicated if he will rest some of his stars, but it seems plausible that he will.

Liverpool manager Brendon Rogers has no Champions League ties to deal with, so he is likely to name the strongest team he has available. That probably means the same eleven as last week, although Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson could come back into contention after both have recovered from knee problems. Rogers is likely to stick with the attacking quartet (Raheem Sterling, Coutinho, Luis Suarez, and Daniel Sturrdige) that dismantled Arsenal last week.

However, what better way than to rid the memories of last week and the club´s recent poor form by beating Liverpool to progress in the FA Cup. The omens favour Arsenal as the Gunners have lost to Liverpool in the cup just once from the last eight games, although that loss did come in the 2001 final.

With the games coming thick and fast, Arsenal will have to be at their very best to down a confident and dangerous Liverpool team.

Liverpool vs. Arsenal match preview

Arsenal could bolster its position at the top of the Premier League today if the team can overcome an in form Liverpool side at Anfield during the early kick off game.

Kicking off before title rivals Manchester City and Chelsea take to the field later in the day, the Gunners could be five points clear for a brief time if they claim three points. However, this Liverpool is a different animal compared to previous seasons and Arsene Wenger may settle for taking a point from this tricky away game.

It was a good week for Arsenal as the team reclaimed top spot in the league courtesy of Chelsea´s victory over Man City on Monday. Arsene Wenger will know a difficult February fixture list could define the club´s season and will want at least a point from the trip to Anfield. Liverpool are in a rich vein of form, largely off the back of front duo Denial Sturridge and Luis Suarez, who Wenger of course tried to sign last summer.

Wenger ruled out returning for the Uruguayan in the future and will have to make do with what he has got for the rest of this season after a frustrating January transfer window. However, the Frenchman could be set to have a fully fit squad, aside from some long term absentees such as Theo Walcott.

Jack Wilshere is due to return after recovering from an ankle problem, while the recent returns of Lukas Podolski, Mikel Arteta, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have added quality and depth to the squad. However, the Gunners have underperformed in recent weeks, and even though Wenger will be delighted with recent results, he will know his team will have to improve against a quality Liverpool outfit.

Arsenal vs. Coventry City: Preview

Arsenal welcome Coventry City to the Emirates Stadium for this FA Cup clash, and it should prove to be a routine win for Arsene Wenger and his troops.

However, the French tactician will face a familiar cup conundrum when deciding to opt for a full strength team and risk key injuries or pick a weakened team of youngsters and risk elimination. In previous years the FA Cup represented a chance to win silverware, and while Wenger would still like to lift the trophy again, the Gunners current league form means the Premier League must take priority.

While it would be foolish for Wenger to think Coventry will prove an easy target, he will believe that a mix of youth and quality should get the job done. With that in mind we can expect to see a different line up from the home win over Fulham last weekend. Who will be rested is up for debate but it is likely Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will make his return to the starting lineup.

With no new signings expected in this window it will be a balancing act of squad rotation as Wenger attempts to navigate an in form Coventry. The Sky Blues are unbeaten in the last six and are averaging two goals every game in League One as they push for the play-offs after being deducted 10 points at the start of the season.

Premier League leaders Arsenal should have too much for the visitors though, as the Gunners are 100% from their last six and are holding off title challenges from Chelsea and Man City. With the best defence in the top flight (19 conceded) the Emirates should be treated to a comfortable FA Cup win.

Indeed, Arsenal´s last meeting against Coventry came in the 2012 Capital Cup when Wenger´s men emerged as triumphant 6-1 winners, which some may remember was the game in which Oliver Giroud scored his first goal for the club.

Aston Villa vs. Arsenal: Arsenal is favorite but Villa might surprise

Arsenal travel to Villa Park on Monday night to clash with an Aston Villa side that is fighting to stay clear of relegation danger. Gunners fans will well remember that Villa defeated the team at the Emirates on the first day of the season, signaling a fresh bout of doom and gloom in North London. How times have changed though as a quality signing (you know who) and a fantastic first half of the season have put Arsenal on a high, and within touching distance of the Premier League trophy.

Form suggests that Arsenal should have a relatively easy evening on Monday as the Gunners have won their last 4 games (three in the Premier League and 1 against Spurs in the cup). Villa have picked up just one win in the last six, but their league form is not quite as bad as it looks on paper. Despite slipping to a home defeat in the FA Cup against Sheffield United the team has actually picked up a win and draw in their last two league games.

However, Villa´s problems run deep as the team is simply terrible at home, as shown by that loss to League One chasers Sheffield United. Villa has not won at home in 5 attempts and has only won at Villa Park three times all season in all competitions. It is the kind of run that makes Arsenal clear favorites, especially as the Villa players like to let teams have the ball. Expect Arsenal´s midfield to get plenty of the football and acres of pitch to play in, while Villa try to hit them on the counter attack. Of course, with Christian Benteke the home team always has a chance, but the truth is the Belgian has not scored in any competition since late September and is not the player he was last season.

Arsenal have their own attacking problems with the news that Theo Walcott will sit out the rest of the season after he picked up an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Walcott had come into the side and was scoring goals, but more importantly he took the weight off Oliver Giroud´s shoulders. Giroud is likely to have recovered from an illness to take on Villa, but once again the pressure is on the Frenchman to score the goals that fire Arsenal to the league title. Arsene Wenger has pointed to the fit again Lukas Podolski as someone who gives Arsenal more attacking options, and the German will surely be of great importance during the next few months.

Arsenal should have far too much for a Villa side also suffering injuries and with the Gunners looking to go back to the summit of the Premier League, a win will be needed. With the ball at their feet too often at Villa Park, Wenger´s men will likely pick up a comfortable away victory.