Arsenal begins a huge week with a tough Premier League home tie against Leicester City at the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have hit form with four straight wins in all competitions, leaving themselves in the FA Cup semi-finals and seventh in the League table, six points off the provisional Champions League places.
But Arsenal now faces two key fixtures which could decide their League fate this week, with Brendan Rodgers high-flying Foxes up on Tuesday before a north London derby against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham on Sunday.
Both teams are currently on a roll but Arsenal has a good record against the Foxes. I expect an Arsenal win though.
TEAM NEWS
Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe is expected to be back in contention after he missed the win over Wolves because his wife was giving birth.
Calum Chambers, Bernd Leno, Pablo Mari, and Gabriel Martinelli remain out.
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers says there are “big doubts” over whether Ben Chilwell and James Maddison will be fit enough to feature.
Ayoze Perez was forced off against Crystal Palace with an ankle knock but should be available.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Leicester have won three of their last four league games against Arsenal, as many victories as in their previous 36 matches against the Gunners.
The Foxes are aiming to win three consecutive league matches against Arsenal for the first time since 1963.
Arsenal is unbeaten in 22 home league games against Leicester, winning the last 12.
A 13th successive home victory would equal the Gunners’ longest winning streak against a particular opponent in top-flight home matches (set versus Stoke between 1983 and 2018).
Arsenal
Arsenal has won five and drawn one of their six Premier League games at the Emirates Stadium since defeating Chelsea in Mikel Arteta’s first home match in charge.
They have won three consecutive league games without conceding for the first time since November 2017.
Their win over Wolves on Saturday was the Gunners’ first away league victory against a side starting above them in the league table since September 2015, when they won 5-2 at Leicester.
Emiliano Martinez has kept a clean sheet in six of his eight Premier League starts for Arsenal, the best ratio of any Gunners keeper with at least five starts in the competition.
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Leicester City
The Foxes’ win over Crystal Palace was only their fifth in their last 17 matches in all competitions.
The three goals they scored against the Eagles was more than their combined total in their three previous games since the Premier League restart.
The Foxes are without an away league win since New Year’s Day.
Jamie Vardy has scored nine Premier League goals in his nine starts against Arsenal – only Wayne Rooney (12), Robbie Fowler (10) and Harry Kane (10) have scored more against the Gunners.
Kelechi Iheanacho has scored in back-to-back Premier League matches for Leicester after just one in his previous 12 in the competition.
Manager Brendan Rodgers is without a win in all six of his away games against Arsenal in all competitions.
PREDICTION: 2-1
