Premier League: Arsenal v Cardiff City match preview
A look ahead to the New Year's Day clash at the Emirates Stadium
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Your support makes all the difference.After a mid-December wobble where they went winless in three, Arsene Wenger’s side have reasserted their title credentials with two thoroughly gutsy away wins at West Ham and Newcastle.
Now they sit top of the league at New Year – just like the last four teams to hoist the Premier League trophy. For so long Arsenal have been in the chasing pack; now the Gunners are the team everyone is gunning for.
For the silverware-starved Londoners, 2014 will be a monumental test – but the year begins with a more gentle examination: the visit of managerless Cardiff City. The Bluebirds looked every inch a team distracted by the off-field crisis enveloping the club as they slid to a thoroughly deflating draw against Sunderland, but interim boss David Kerslake must rally his troops – not least because the four teams below Cardiff all have winnable New Year’s Day assignments.
Arsenal will be without Cardiff old boy Aaron Ramsey, who was at his influential best when the teams met in November. The Welsh fans generously applauded their former hero’s virtuoso display in that game, but with 'Rambo' on the sidelines and Cardiff on the skids, they may have little to cheer on this occasion.
KICK OFF: New Year's Day, 3pm
PAST THREE MEETINGS…
Cardiff City 0 Arsenal 3 (Ramsey 2, Flamini), Premier League, November 2013
Arsenal 4 (Eduardo 2, Bendtner, van Persie) Cardiff City, FA Cup, February 2009
Cardiff City 0 Arsenal 0, FA Cup, January 2009
STATS…
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 12 matches against Cardiff City, winning 7 and drawing 5. Cardiff’s last win at Arsenal came in 1961, when they triumphed 2-3.
Arsenal collected more Premier League points than any other side in 2013 (82).
Cardiff City have conceded 11 goals in the last 15 minutes of league games this season, the second worst in the division (after Fulham, with 13). Arsenal have scored 10, the joint most.
If matches finished at half-time, Cardiff would be bottom of the league. They have led just 1 of their 19 games at the break.
David Kerslake will be in charge of Cardiff again following the sacking of Malky Mackay. Caretaker managers have taken the reins in 11 Premier League matches this season, and are unbeaten in the last 7.
English players have scored 80% (12 out of 15) of Cardiff’s goals this season – the highest percentage in the top flight.
ODDS…
Arsenal to win: 1.2
Cardiff City to win: 11.0
Draw: 7.0
TV: Highlights on BBC1 at 10.50pm.
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