Premier League preview and odds: Arsenal vs Stoke City

Published on: 09/12/2016

Premier League preview and odds: Arsenal vs Stoke City

December 10, 2016 15:00pm - Emirates Stadium

Premier League

Arsenal will look to extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 14 matches when they welcome in-form Stoke City to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The visitors themselves could climb to as high as sixth in the table with a win, depending on other results.

Gunners in title hunt

A run of 13 games without defeat has kept Arsenal right in the hunt for the Premier League title with just over a third of the season gone. The Londoners are just three points behind pace-setters Chelsea and one point ahead of the chasing pack.

Arsene Wenger`s men are looking to go one better than last year when they finished runners-up to surprise champions Leicester City. Despite a blip on the opening day, when they lost 3-4 at home to Liverpool, the North Londoners have shown great form, winning nine and drawing four of their next 13.

The Gunners come into this match on the back of a 4-1 Champions League win away to Basel and a 5-1 win at West Ham that lifted them to second place in the Premier League table.

Meanwhile, Stoke City seem to have put their poor start behind them and are now going from strength to strength. A run of nine games featuring five wins, three draws and just one defeat has lifted them to ninth place in the table. Away from home they are unbeaten in four having won two and drawn two.

Last time out, the Potters eased to a 2-0 win at home to new arrivals Burnley and prior to that, they bagged a 1-1 win on the road against Watford.

Team news

The home side have been hampered by injuries all season and the situation has barely improved. This weekend they will hand a late fitness test to Hector Bellerin (ankle), while Mathieu Debuchy (hamstring), Samti Cazorla (leg), Chuba Akpom (back), Per Mertesecker (knee) and Danny Welbeck (knee) are all still out of action.

Meanwhile, the visitors have plenty of injury concerns of their own with Ryan Shawcross (calf), Phil Bardsley (knee), Geoff Cameron (knee), Jack Butland (ankle), Stephen Ireland (leg) and Ibrahim Affelay (ACL) all missing for this clash.

Recent form (League):

Arsenal: WWLWD

Stoke City: WWLDW

Betting odds and tips

Arsenal are undefeated in their last 13 matches and have scored first in 71% of their matches. They are unbeaten in their six on home soil.

Meanwhile, eight of Stoke City`s last nine matches have produced Under 2.5 Goals. They have scored in all but one of their away matches, including their last five in a row. In addition, they are unbeaten in their last four away games.

The home side can be expected to win but the goalscorer market offers better value.

You can back the Alexis Sanchez to score anytime at a decent 4/5 with Bet365.

By Neil Morris

Published on: 09/12/2016

Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (09/12/2016 16:09:02) but are subject to change.