Arsenal v Leicester preview: Leaders face another tough trip

By Gerard Brand

Image: Arsenal host Leicester on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD

Both Arsenal and Leicester could be unchanged as the title challengers do battle at the Emirates on Super Sunday.

Arsenal sit five points behind the Foxes, level on points with north London rivals Tottenham, who also face a tough trip to Manchester City later in the afternoon - live on Sky Sports 1 HD.

Arsene Wenger's side bounced back having won no league games in four beating Bournemouth 2-0 at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday, while Leicester will be looking to continue their momentum from the impressive 3-1 win at Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Image: Riyad Mahrez celebrates during Leicester's fine 3-1 win at Manchester City last Saturday

The Gunners won the first fixture 5-2 in an entertaining clash at the King Power in September, a match which started a five-game winning run.

Leicester, however, have won seven games on the road this season, as many as Arsenal have won at the Emirates.

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Team news

The Gunners have no fresh injury concerns, allowing Wenger to pick from an unchanged squad.

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Santi Cazorla (knee), Tomas Rosicky (thigh) and Jack Wilshere (leg) are still missing, while Danny Welbeck (knee) is back in full training but Sunday should come too soon for a return to action.

Image: Arsenal saw off Bournemouth 2-0 in their last outing

Leicester midfielder Daniel Amartey must wait for his debut and will not feature against Arsenal. The 21-year-old joined from FC Copenhagen in January and is yet to make his bow, but boss Claudio Ranieri expects to have him up to speed to face Norwich next week.

Jeff Schlupp remains sidelined with a hamstring injury which has kept the winger out since the start of December while Matty James is close to a recovery from a long-term knee injury but the Foxes are expected to be unchanged
following their win at Manchester City.

Claudio Ranieri had to remind Arsene Wenger that his Chelsea side knocked Arsenal out of the Champions League back in 2003

Opta stats

Alexis Sanchez has scored four goals in his three Premier League games against Leicester City.

Theo Walcott has scored in both of his Premier League appearances against Leicester City.

The Gunners have won 12 and lost none of the last 18 Premier League matches against the Foxes.

Wenger is confident Arsenal will finish the season well

Arsenal have won their last eight home Premier League meetings with Leicester City.

Three of the four players to have had a hand in 20+ goals in the Premier League this season will play in this match - Riyad Mahrez (24), Jamie Vardy (21) and Mesut Ozil (20).

Only Barcelona (10) have won more penalties in the top five European Leagues this season than Leicester City (9).

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Merson's predictions

Arsenal have to win this game for me but they are set up perfectly for Leicester, exactly the same as Manchester City were last week. Arsenal will have loads of the ball and then bang, Leicester will hit them on the counter.

Arsenal have got to be careful. Leicester are nowhere near as good a team as Arsenal but they play a certain way which can majorly hurt them.

Wenger also thinks Leicester are as good as anybody in Premier League at the moment

This game will come down to how the first 25 minutes pans out. If Arsenal score early I fancy them to run away with it but if they don't I fancy Leicester.

Arsenal will continue to bomb forward for a goal and that plays right into the hands of the league's best counter attacking side. However, having said that, Arsenal's class should prevail, but it wouldn't shock me one iota if Leicester won.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds 7/1)

Betting

Arsenal are odds-on with Sky Bet to dent 19/5 shots Leicester's title dreams on Super Sunday with the draw 14/5. The Gunners, 2/1 shots for the title, trail the Foxes (15/8) by five points but put five past the leaders earlier this season and can be backed in a Price Boost at 3/1 to win with Sanchez scoring.  Vardy to score in a win for Leicester is 7/1 (from 4/1).

Sky Sports' Phil Thompson is going for goals and has put up 80/1 scorecast bet; Vardy to score first in a 2-2 draw. Arsenal are also one of the picks in Sunday's Soccer Special Price Boost. Back the Gunners, Liverpool and Man City all to win at 8/1 (was 5/1). Click here to check out all the latest odds

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