Win-seeking Arsenal could pile misery on wilted Norwich outfit
Published:All of a sudden, a top four finish no longer seems a certainty for Arsenal, who need to beat Norwich at 1/4 this weekend to get their season back on track.
Three games without victory succeeded a run of just one defeat in twelve league games for the Gunners, who remain in third place, yet are only a point ahead of fifth-placed Newcastle.
Local rivals Tottenham’s back-to-back wins have seen them move within a point of Arsenal too, but it could prove essential that the Gunners hang on to third spot to clinch Champions League qualification.
This comes in light of Chelsea’s participation in this year’s final, which if they win, will ensure their entry into next year’s tournament, ahead of the fourth-placed Premier League team.
With that in mind, now could be as good a time as any for Arsene Wenger’s men to face Norwich, who go into this match on the back of three consecutive defeats.
Paul Lambert’s men have been impressive in their first season back in the top flight, sitting in 14th position in the Premier League, though their recent run represents one of their worst periods of the campaign.
The Canaries, an 11/1 shot for Emirates success, have conceded 11 times in their past three outings, so could prove easy prey for a Gunners side that has registered on 68 occasions this term.
Arsenal triumphed 2-1 in the reverse fixture at Carrow Road earlier in the season, whilst the two most recent Premier League encounters before this both ended 4-1 in the North Londoners’ favour.
It is 14/1 about that scoreline occurring again, which could see support from punters.
In team news, Theo Walcott will miss out for the home side, still struggling with the hamstring problem he picked up in Arsenal’s last Emirates outing against Chelsea.
The visitors have no fresh injury concerns meanwhile, though Zak Whitbread could return after missing last week’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of his former club Liverpool.
