Arsenal vs Swansea City. Premier League.
Emirates StadiumAttendance59,493.
Saturday 28 October 2017 13:40, UK
Arsenal will be looking to make it five wins from five at home in the Premier League this season when they host Swansea on Saturday.
The Gunners have a perfect record at the Emirates and moved up to fifth in the table with a 5-2 win at Everton last weekend.
Arsene Wenger made 11 changes for the midweek Carabao Cup win over Norwich, and the Gunners boss suggested some of those who played, including 18-year-old Eddie Nketiah, could be involved again on Saturday.
"He will continue to get a chance," Wenger said of Nketiah, who scored twice after coming off the bench against Norwich. "The biggest problem in the Premier League is for the first time since I'm in England we have a consistent level of results in the youth teams.
"That means the quality is there and the next step is to integrate them in the league."
While Arsenal have won all their home games in the league this season, Swansea have been better on the road than they have at home.
Paul Clement's side have only lost once in four away matches and drew at Tottenham last month. However, they have only scored six goals in nine games this season and were beaten by Manchester United in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
Arsenal could welcome back Shkodran Mustafi as he has returned to full training after a hamstring injury.
Santi Cazorla (ankle), Danny Welbeck and David Ospina (both groin) are still sidelined.
Swansea have been struck by injury problems. Martin Olsson suffered a hamstring strain in the Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester United and misses out alongside Renato Sanches (thigh), Wilfried Bony (hamstring) and Kyle Bartley (knee).
Sam Clucas could be in line to replace Olsson and feature at left wing-back if head coach Paul Clement opts for a three-man central defence.
Swansea City have won three times away at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League - only Chelsea have defeated Arsenal in the competition more often there (4).
Swansea City have attempted just 18 shots on target and 72 shots overall this season in the Premier League - the fewest in the league. Spurs' striker Harry Kane has attempted three more shots on target than Swansea on his own (21).
Alexandre Lacazette (five goals) is one of only five players to have scored 5+ goals in their opening nine Premier League appearances for Arsenal, after Alexis Sanchez (7), Andrey Arshavin (6), Ian Wright (6) and Davor Suker (5). The record by an Arsenal player in their first 10 PL apps for the club is held by teammate Sanchez (8).
This will be Arsene Wenger's 800th Premier League game in charge of Arsenal - only Sir Alex Ferguson (810) has managed more games in the competition. He has currently overseen 478 more English top-flight games (799) than Swansea themselves have played (321).
Olivier Giroud has been directly involved in five goals in seven Premier League starts against Swansea (three goals, two assists), although only one of those goal involvements has arrived on home soil (scored in March 2014).
This is Arsenal all over. They do well at Chelsea, go on a little run and then get beaten by Watford. It's a cycle that will probably repeat all season.
They have won a couple in a row now and will beat Swansea, the talk will start again, but they will lose to someone they shouldn't.
I can't see that happening on Saturday, though. Swansea went to Tottenham at Wembley and sat 10 behind the ball but I think Arsenal will break them down more easily.
Paul predicts: 3-0 (Sky Bet odds 6/1)
It's 5/1 to end all square. Alexandre Lacazette (5/2), Olivier Giroud (11/4) and Alexis Sanchez (11/4) are all contesting favouritism in the first goalscorer market, where Swansea's likeliest contender is Tammy Abraham all the way out at 17/2.
