Sunday 29 September 2013

Swansea City v Arsenal: match preview - Telegraph.co.uk

Team News
Captain Ashley Williams is a major doubt ahead of Swansea's Premier League clash with Arsenal.

The Wales defender, believed to be a summer target for Arsenal, has been struggling with an ankle injury and manager Michael Laudrup says he has less than a 50 per cent chance of featuring against the Gunners, with Jordi Amat set to deputise.

Pablo Hernández will again miss out to due to a hamstring injury.

Arsenal, meanwhile, will give fitness tests to midfielder Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Swansea.

England forward Theo Walcott has responded well to surgery on a minor abdominal problem, but is now set for up to five weeks recovery time.

Czech playmaker Tomas Rosicky could return for next week's Champions League game against Napoli, but Santi Cazorla, Yaya Sanogo, Lukas Podolski, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Abou Diaby are all out.

Match Notes
After such a positive start to the season, there are signs of strain within the Arsenal squad.

Mathieu Flamini and Aaron Ramsey required late fitness tests and, with their four first-choice wide players also out, Serge Gnabry is likely to start on the right.

Swansea are on a three-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, although they were unexpectedly beaten at Birmingham in the Capital One Cup in midweek.

Betting: Home 23-20, Away 11-10, Draw 11-5.

Stat of the game: Arsenal will equal their best run of away league wins if they win on the road for an eighth game in succession.

Jeremy Wilson's prediction: Swansea City 1 Arsenal 1.

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