Arsenal are enjoying back-to-back wins, powered by the hot boot of summer signing Alexis Sanchez. While the Gunners may be hard to stop with their recent success in mind, Swansea have a tight defense that may be able to eke out at least a point in this game. Can Arsenal take the full three points? Or will Swansea spoil the Gunners’ ascent into the top of the Premier League?
For the best matchups coming this weekend, check out our weekly English Premier League picks and predictions. In the meantime, you can also read about the big matchup between Liverpool and Chelsea (preview) on Saturday.
[sc:Soccer ]Swansea vs. Arsenal Preview
Where: Liberty Stadium, Swansea
When: Sunday, November 9, 11:00 AM ET
Line: Arsenal at Swansea – view all EPL lines
What’s at Stake
[sc:Soccer240banner ]A Swansea win will allow the Swans to overtake Arsenal in the top five of the Premier League standings. Meanwhile, an Arsenal win allows the Gunners to keep their top five standing. Arsenal also have the unlikely possibility of tying Manchester City’s 20 points if they win and the defending champions suffer an upset at the hands of Queens Park Rangers.
Betting on Swansea
Since their 4-2 defeat to Chelsea for Match Day 4, Swansea have recorded only one win in their last six games, the latest one being a 0-0 draw away to Everton.
Striker Wilfriend Bony had four attempts to net a goal, but couldn’t get his team on the scoreboard against Everton on Saturday. Aside from his off performance, Bony remains a goal-scoring threat with four goals and an assist in 10 appearances in the Premier League. Bony should test a questionable Arsenal backline, especially with a talented playmaker in Gylfi Sigurdsson creating opportunities for him. Sigurdsson has seven assists and a goal in nine league apperances.
Swansea’s center back pairing of Ashley Williams and Federico Fernandez was excellent in its defensive stand against Everton. They denied their hosts a goal after Swansea went down to 10 men with Jonjo Shelvey sent off for his second booking of the day. Williams intercepted a Leighton Baines cross to Romelu Lukaku to thwart an Everton attempt on goal.
However, Swansea’s backline may have more difficulty containing Arsenal’s excellent attack led by Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck. Sanchez has scored seven goals while assisting in two more for Arsenal in the Premier League, while Welbeck has added two of his own. In their last match against a high-powered offense, Swansea conceded four goals against Chelsea for their fourth match this season.
Swansea have not won against Arsenal in their last five matchups.
Betting on Arsenal
Alexis Sanchez has been absolutely sensational in his past three Premier League games. After scoring a goal and assisting in another in a 2-2 draw against Hull on October 18, Sanchez then bagged braces against Sunderland and Burnley in two consecutive games to fire the Gunners to back-to-back wins.
The Chilean midfielder will now be tasked to unravel Swansea’s tight defense. The Swans have conceded just three goals in five home games this season. Still, if Sanchez can’t net a goal himself, he can still create opportunities for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who scored in the Gunners Champions League game on Tuesday, and forward Danny Welbeck.
The Gunners have also enjoyed back-to-back clean sheets in the league thanks in large part to makeshift centerback Nacho Monreal and right back Calum Chambers. Chambers has also contributed in the attack with an assist and a goal against Burnley.
However, Arsenal’s defensive frailties exposed themselves once again in their midweek Champions League game against Anderlecht. Leading 3-0 and seemingly cruising toward a comfortable home win, the Gunners conspired to concede three goals in the final half hour to give Anderlecht a well-earned draw.
Monreal, who is playing out of position at center back, is a liability at the heart of Arsenal’s defense and he may have a very difficult time against a physical striker like Bony if he continues to play in that position.
Arsenal are undefeated in their last five Premier League games.
Writer’s Prediction
Swansea and Arsenal cancel each other out. Take this to go to a draw. Create a betting account now and cash in on the best soccer action in the world.
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