King Power Stadium, Leicester
Saturday, August 20
12:30 EDT, 17:30 BST
- Match Officials
- Referee: Mark Clattenburg
- Assistants: Jake Collin and Simon Bennett
- 4th Official: Andre Marriner
- This Match, Last Year: Leicester 2 - 5 Arsenal
- All-Time in All Competitions: 63 Arsenal wins, 28 Leicester wins, 44 draws
- Arsenal's League Form: W-D-W-D-W // L
- Leicester City's League Form: D-W-D-W-D // L
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| In spite of it all, Alexis Sánchez is here to remind us that he's all muscley and stuff. |
But, I digress. Liverpool put up a four-spot at the Emirates, the first club to do so since Chelsea in May of 2009 (that, in turn, came five days after Manchester United put up three at the Emirates in what was, before the match, a finely-poised Champions League semi-final.) Moreover, the last time Arsenal scored three at home and lost? March 31, 1962. 5-4 to Aston Villa. (The last time Arsenal scored three at home and drew is much more recent, coming against Anderlecht in 2014; in the league, Fulham nabbed a 3-3 draw in 2012.)
Meanwhile, Arsenal go into a difficult road fixture at Leicester tomorrow, they're not quite but very nearly desperate for a result, and they haven't done any new transfer business to prepare for the season ahead.
Why even be surprised anymore?
Meanwhile, Arsenal go into a difficult road fixture at Leicester tomorrow, they're not quite but very nearly desperate for a result, and they haven't done any new transfer business to prepare for the season ahead.
Why even be surprised anymore?
Arsenal Squad News
Out: Iwobi (thigh,) Ramsey (hamstring,) Gabriel (ankle,) Wilshere (knee,) Mertesacker (knee,) Welbeck (knee,) Jenkinson (knee,) Gnabry (Olympics,) Giroud (match fitness,) Özil (match fitness)
Doubts: Koscielny (match fitness)
Arsenal were already in a precarious situation with their threadbare squad going into last week's match. Then, two midfielders got hurt! Alex Iwobi (thigh) and Aaron Ramsey (hamstring) will both be out through the upcoming international break, meaning their possible return can only be as soon as the match against Southampton on September 10.
Among the players coming back from the Euros, none of the three of them have had any practice in full match conditions as of yet, but Laurent Koscielny might be forced back into action out of necessity, since, as you might have noticed, we're a little light on center backs.
The Gunners might not have had to rush Koscielny back if they had, oh I don't know, purchased a center back. But that's not the way Arsenal do things! Transfer business early? Surely you jest!
Predicted XI: Čech, Bellerín, Chambers, Koscielny, Monreal, Xhaka, Coquelin, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Alexis.
Out: Iwobi (thigh,) Ramsey (hamstring,) Gabriel (ankle,) Wilshere (knee,) Mertesacker (knee,) Welbeck (knee,) Jenkinson (knee,) Gnabry (Olympics,) Giroud (match fitness,) Özil (match fitness)
Doubts: Koscielny (match fitness)
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| I blame the hair. |
Among the players coming back from the Euros, none of the three of them have had any practice in full match conditions as of yet, but Laurent Koscielny might be forced back into action out of necessity, since, as you might have noticed, we're a little light on center backs.
The Gunners might not have had to rush Koscielny back if they had, oh I don't know, purchased a center back. But that's not the way Arsenal do things! Transfer business early? Surely you jest!
Predicted XI: Čech, Bellerín, Chambers, Koscielny, Monreal, Xhaka, Coquelin, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Alexis.
Leicester City Squad News
Out: None
Do you want to borrow some of our injuries?
Robert Huth returns from a one match suspension in what should be Claudio Ranieri's only change to the XI.
Predicted XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Drinkwater, King, Gray, Mahrez, Musa, Vardy.
Out: None
Do you want to borrow some of our injuries?
Robert Huth returns from a one match suspension in what should be Claudio Ranieri's only change to the XI.
Predicted XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Drinkwater, King, Gray, Mahrez, Musa, Vardy.
Current Form
It's hard to talk about form just one week into the season, but the "form" for both of these clubs right now is a big, giant L. We've covered Arsenal's loss already on this blog, at great length, but the reigning champions didn't cover themselves in glory either.
In fact, they became the first reigning champion in the Premier League era to lose the opening fixture of the following season. You'd have to go back to 1989 to find the last time the reigning champs lost the following opening day match. You might realize, from looking at that number, that that must've been Arsenal, who lost 4-1 at Old Trafford three months after winning so dramatically at Anfield.
The fact that Leicester's loss came to newly promoted Hull City is all the more astounding. Hull had no manager, made no off-season player moves, and made no substitutions in last week's match. No substitutions!
If you count the Community Shield (and you should know that this blog does from reading over the last two years,) then Leicester are 0 for 2 this season, as they lost to Manchester United 2-1 in the season's curtain-raiser two weeks ago. It's a sharp contrast for a club that lost only three of 38 league games last year.
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| This week's form is brought to you by the letter L. |
In fact, they became the first reigning champion in the Premier League era to lose the opening fixture of the following season. You'd have to go back to 1989 to find the last time the reigning champs lost the following opening day match. You might realize, from looking at that number, that that must've been Arsenal, who lost 4-1 at Old Trafford three months after winning so dramatically at Anfield.
The fact that Leicester's loss came to newly promoted Hull City is all the more astounding. Hull had no manager, made no off-season player moves, and made no substitutions in last week's match. No substitutions!
If you count the Community Shield (and you should know that this blog does from reading over the last two years,) then Leicester are 0 for 2 this season, as they lost to Manchester United 2-1 in the season's curtain-raiser two weeks ago. It's a sharp contrast for a club that lost only three of 38 league games last year.
Match Facts
Arsenal won both league meetings against the eventual champions last season; they were two of Leicester City's three league losses on the season (the other came at Anfield on Boxing Day.)
Jamie Vardy scored three goals against Arsenal over the two matches, including the opening goal in both fixtures. But, at the King Power Stadium in September, Alexis Sánchez had a hat trick for Arsenal while Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud chipped in goals of their own as the Gunners ran out 5-2 winners.
At the Emirates in February, Vardy scored the opener from the penalty spot after it appeared he initiated the contact with Nacho Monreal in the box. Because football is a subjective sport, subject to the narrative of the person covering the game, this was deemed "clever" by most pundits. Martin Atkinson gave a bit of a make-up call after halftime, sending off Danny Simpson a bit harshly after two yellow cards. Theo Walcott equalized in the 70th minute and Danny Welbeck, returning from months out injured, scored a dramatic winner at the death. Arsenal pulled within two points of Leicester with 12 games to play with that win, then proceeded to lose two in a row and never challenged for the title again.
Leicester have not beaten Arsenal in their last 21 tries, dating back to a 2-1 win on November 23, 1994. The Foxes did, however, advance past Arsenal via a penalty shootout in the 2000 FA Cup fourth round, after consecutive 0-0 draws.
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| Alexis Sánchez scoring one of his three goals at the King Power last season. I'm not sure which one this is. The first one? |
Jamie Vardy scored three goals against Arsenal over the two matches, including the opening goal in both fixtures. But, at the King Power Stadium in September, Alexis Sánchez had a hat trick for Arsenal while Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud chipped in goals of their own as the Gunners ran out 5-2 winners.
At the Emirates in February, Vardy scored the opener from the penalty spot after it appeared he initiated the contact with Nacho Monreal in the box. Because football is a subjective sport, subject to the narrative of the person covering the game, this was deemed "clever" by most pundits. Martin Atkinson gave a bit of a make-up call after halftime, sending off Danny Simpson a bit harshly after two yellow cards. Theo Walcott equalized in the 70th minute and Danny Welbeck, returning from months out injured, scored a dramatic winner at the death. Arsenal pulled within two points of Leicester with 12 games to play with that win, then proceeded to lose two in a row and never challenged for the title again.
Leicester have not beaten Arsenal in their last 21 tries, dating back to a 2-1 win on November 23, 1994. The Foxes did, however, advance past Arsenal via a penalty shootout in the 2000 FA Cup fourth round, after consecutive 0-0 draws.
The Referee
The referee is County Durham-based Mark Clattenburg.
Mr. Clattenburg had a pretty busy summer for himself, which you might know from his new tattoos. Since the Premier League season ended, Clattenburg has taken charge of the FA Cup Final, the Champions League Final, and the Euro Final. What other major finals are there? The Olympics finals are coming up this weekend, but Clattenburg already did that one in 2012.
Arsenal have historically had a decent record with Clattenburg in charge, though they had a mixed series of results last year. Clatts was in charge of Arsenal's 2-1 loss at West Brom last November, but he did give the Gunners a controversial late penalty, which Santi Cazorla missed. He was in charge of Arsenal's 1-0 loss to Chelsea in January, in which he sent off Per Mertesacker for tripping up Diego Costa on a counter-attack. Arsenal went on to win the other two matches in which Clattenburg was the referee, 2-0 over Everton in March and 4-0 over Aston Villa on the final day of the regular season.
Leicester City had a good record with Clattenburg last season, but since they only lost three times, that's not surprising. Clattenburg took charge of Leicester's 2-1 win over Norwich in October, their 2-1 win over Chelsea in December (which saw Jose Mourinho out in the aftermath,) their 2-2 draw to West Brom in March, and their comprehensive 4-0 win over Swansea in late April as the Foxes surged towards the title.
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| Here is a picture of Mark Clattenburg with his new ink and a tattoo artist who is probably not from Los Angeles. |
Mr. Clattenburg had a pretty busy summer for himself, which you might know from his new tattoos. Since the Premier League season ended, Clattenburg has taken charge of the FA Cup Final, the Champions League Final, and the Euro Final. What other major finals are there? The Olympics finals are coming up this weekend, but Clattenburg already did that one in 2012.
Arsenal have historically had a decent record with Clattenburg in charge, though they had a mixed series of results last year. Clatts was in charge of Arsenal's 2-1 loss at West Brom last November, but he did give the Gunners a controversial late penalty, which Santi Cazorla missed. He was in charge of Arsenal's 1-0 loss to Chelsea in January, in which he sent off Per Mertesacker for tripping up Diego Costa on a counter-attack. Arsenal went on to win the other two matches in which Clattenburg was the referee, 2-0 over Everton in March and 4-0 over Aston Villa on the final day of the regular season.
Leicester City had a good record with Clattenburg last season, but since they only lost three times, that's not surprising. Clattenburg took charge of Leicester's 2-1 win over Norwich in October, their 2-1 win over Chelsea in December (which saw Jose Mourinho out in the aftermath,) their 2-2 draw to West Brom in March, and their comprehensive 4-0 win over Swansea in late April as the Foxes surged towards the title.
Around the League
- Friday (night): Manchester United v. Southampton; Old Trafford, Manchester
- Saturday (early): Stoke City v. Manchester City; Bet365 Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent
- Saturday: Burnley v. Liverpool; Turf Moor, Burnley
- Saturday: Swansea City v. Hull City; Liberty Stadium, Swansea
- Saturday: Tottenham Hotspur v. Crystal Palace; White Hart Lane, London
- Saturday: Watford v. Chelsea; Vicarage Road, Watford
- Saturday: West Bromwich Albion v. Everton; The Hawthorns, West Bromwich
- Sunday (early): Sunderland v. Middlesbrough; Stadium of Light, Sunderland
- Sunday (late): West Ham United v. Bournemouth; Olympic Stadium, London
John Painting is a contributing writer to the Modern Gooner and a time traveling wizard. You can follow him on Twitter @zorrocat for notes from the future.
