We’ve already been privy to a number of fantastic matches this season and the Premier League’s fixture makers are refusing to disappoint, throwing up yet another round of exciting, enticing and likely entertaining games for the coming weekend.
Indeed, in a game that could well decide Jose Mourinho’s employment status come Monday morning, Liverpool visit Chelsea at 12.45pm on Saturday whilst Manchester United make the ever-difficult trip to Crystal Palace.
But in terms of quality, no fixture stands out more than Swansea vs Arsenal at 3pm on Saturday. Both sides pride themselves on positive, technically-demanding football and have already produced a number of highly entertaining encounters – not least including the Swans’ shock double over the Gunners last season.
Things are a little different this time around, with Arsenal in top form and the Welsh outfit slowly recovering after a slump into mid-table.
But in a match involving two sides of incredibly similar philosophies, the outcome could well be decided by who dominates the individual battles. With that in mind, Football FanCast have listed the FIVE we view as the most important…
ANDRE AYEW VS ALEXIS SANCHEZ
A key battle that could have a huge impact on Saturday’s result. Andre Ayew and Alexis Sanchez have been amongst the most prolific attacking threats in the Premier League this season and rather intriguingly look set to be fighting over dominance of the same flank this weekend.
Indeed, the Arsenal winger has exploded to life in recent weeks following a slow start to the season, finding seven goals and one assist in his last six appearances across all competitions – including a stunning hat-trick against Leicester City.
Andre Ayew, meanwhile, was undoubtedly one of the biggest coups of the summer transfer window, recording six goals and one assist in ten Premier League appearances since arriving at the Liberty Stadium on a free transfer.
Both verge upon talisman status for their respective sides and both are also incredibly hard workers, with great physicality and tenacity. So although the task of stopping them will predominantly fall to Arsenal left-back Nacho Monreal and Swansea right-back Kyle Naughton, there will undoubtedly be much to-and-fro between the two wingers on Saturday.
With both posing such potent goal threat, this battle depends on who balances out their defensive and offensive responsibilities better.
SANTI CAZORLA VS JONJO SHELVEY
An intriguing battle of two midfielders with incredibly similar roles in their respective midfields. Both are first and foremost No.10s but have shone brightest in deeper capacities over the last few seasons, in no small part due to Arsenal and Swansea City both being possession-retaining sides.
So this battle of the deep-lying playmakers won’t be decided by full-blooded tackles, stamina or enthusiasm; rather, who uses the ball best out of the Gunners’ Santi Cazorla and the Swans’ Jonjo Shelvey.
No disrespect intended to the Welsh outfit, the assumption is that Arsenal will be on top for most of Saturday’s affair based on their recent form – recording incredibly convincing wins against Manchester United, Watford, Bayern Munich and Everton.
Therefore, whilst Cazorla’s job will be primarily to keep Arsenal ticking over and producing the odd bullet pass, there’s more impetus on Shelvey to make the most of what possession Swansea have. The England international needs to pick out the right pass to launch the right attack at the right time – easier said than done.
OLIVIER GIROUD VS ASHLEY WILLIAMS
With Theo Walcott sidelined for Saturday, supersub Olivier Giroud gets the nod up front by default.
Indeed, Arsene Wenger has preferred the England international over the Frenchman in his starting line-ups this season but it’s not affected his form. In fact, quite the opposite – bagging five goals in ten Premier League outings, four of which have come from the bench.
The task of stopping Giroud will predominantly fall to Swansea skipper Ashley Williams. He’s not enjoyed the best of form in recent weeks but is unquestionably one of the Premier League’s best centre-backs outside of the top four.
He’s strong, quick and good on the ball but there is a bit of a height mismatch; the 31 year-old measures in at just 6 foot, giving Giroud a good four inches on him.
That’s hardly held Williams back over the last few years but he has struggled against Southampton’s Graziano Pelle and Aston Villa’s Rudy Gestede this season – both of whom join the Arsenal front-man in the 6 foot 4 club.
MESUT OZIL VS JACK CORK
Make no mistake about it, Mesut Ozil is finally starting to resemble a £42million signing, claiming a division highest seven assists (as well as one goal) in nine Premier League appearances this season. He’s also averaged the most created chances per match of any Premier League player – a whopping 4.7.
Due to injuries, with Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck all sidelined for the next few weeks, we could see the German World Cup winner start out wide on Saturday.
But either way, the attacking midfielder will look to float into more central areas – meaning the task of nullifying his creativity will predominantly fall to Swansea City’s Jack Cork.
The epitome of unsung, the Englishman’s influence on the Swans’ successes often goes unaccredited. But he’s the steel in an otherwise technical midfield, this season averaging 1.7 tackles, 2.7 interceptions and 1.8 successful aerial duels per match, and will be crucial to stopping Arsenal advances on Saturday.
In addition to keeping a leash on Ozil, Williams and centre-back partner Federico Fernandez will require the 6 foot midfielder’s assistance in containing Giroud’s aerial threat.
BAFETIMBI GOMIS VS PER MERTESACKER
Striker Bafetimbi Gomis has really struggled for form in recent weeks, suffering a stretch of seven appearances without a goal – spanning all the way back to the end of August.
That suggests a relatively comfortable afternoon for Per Mertesacker who, in dramatic contrast, has been an absolute rock for Arsenal at the heart of defence recently, helping them claim three consecutive clean sheets prior to their Capital One Cup defeat earlier this week.
But Gomis is unquestionably a talented and useful centre-forward, something his early season form of four goals in four outings paid specific homage to. He’s quick, powerful, effective (albeit not exactly imperious) in the air and on his day verges upon the realms of unplayable.
The Frenchman will be desperate to get back to winning ways and if there’s one slight advantage he can take into Saturday’s game, it’s that Mertesacker played the full ninety minutes during the to Sheffield Wednesday in midweek, so may be feeling a little fatigued.
That being said, Laurent Koscielny has a knack for getting his trusty centre-back partner out of trouble, so Gomis will have to assert himself enough to occupy both defenders on Saturday.
