WEST BROMWICH ALBION v ARSENAL
Barclays Premier League
Sunday 6th October 2013, 4:00pm
The Hawthorns

MATCH NOTES

Albion have not won three successive games since November last year when they beat Southampton, Wigan, Chelsea and Sunderland.

Arsenal have won their last eight away league games in a row, equalling their best run in the Premier League.

If selected, Liam Ridgewell will make his 50th Premier League appearance for Albion.

Albion's last six games: Manchester United (A) 2-1; Arsenal (H, LC) 1-1 (3-4 on pens); Sunderland (H) 3-0; Fulham (A) 1-1; Swansea City (H) 0-2; Newport County (H, LC) 3-0

Arsenal's last six games: Napoli (H, CL) 2-0; Swansea City (A) 2-1; Albion (A, LC) 1-1 (4-3 on pens); Stoke City (H) 3-1; Marseille (A, CL) 2-1; Sunderland (A) 3-1

TEAM NEWS

Albion

Strikers Victor Anichebe, Shane Long and Nicolas Anelka all face fitness tests ahead of the game at The Hawthorns with Anichebe and Anelka most likely to be fit according to Baggies’ boss Steve Clarke.

Midfield duo James Morrison and Chris Brunt have both been declared fit but Scott Sinclair and Matej Vydra (both hamstring) are out.

Ben Foster remains sidelined with his foot injury whilst Zoltan Gera and George Thorne are not yet fully match fit following their long-term injuries.

Squad from: Myhill, Camp, Daniels, Reid, Olsson, Popov, Ridgewell, Lugano, McAuley, Dawson, Jones, Yacob, Morrison, Brunt, Dorrans, Amalfitano, Mulumbu, Rosenberg, Long, Anichebe, Sessegnon, Berahino, Anelka.

Arsenal

Arsenal will be without defender Bacary Sagna after the French international suffered a hamstring problem. Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Carl Jenkinson will be the man to replace him.

Sagna joins Theo Walcott (abdomen), Santi Cazorla (ankle), Yaya Sanogo (back), Lukas Podolski (hamstring), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Abou Diaby (both knee) on the Gunners’ injury list.

Squad from: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Flamini, Ramsey, Arteta, Wilshere, Ozil, Giroud, Fabianski, Gnabry, Bendtner, Vermaelen, Monreal, Rosicky, Frimpong.

QUOTES

Baggies' boss Steve Clarke:

“The way they are playing is tremendous. This season they have looked really strong. They have obviously made a fantastic signing in Mezut Ozil. He’s come in and given the whole place a lift and the team an extra dimension. A number of players they’ve signed over the last two or three years are starting to blossom, are starting to get used to the English league, are starting to understand what they have to do and how they have to play to get results in the Barclays Premier Legaue. This year I think Arsenal are a strong team.

“I watched Arsenal in midweek against Napoli. They were absolutely outstanding and in the first 30 minutes they blew Napoli away - and Napoli are a good team. We have to be ready for that. We have to be on our guard. In most of the games Arsenal have played this season they have always started very, very quickly and they’ve managed to get their noses in front, and from there they control and dominate the game. So we have to be ready for that.

“You can’t say the way we approached the game last week will necessarily be the best way to approach the game this week. I’ve had a look at one or two different things in training. I’m waiting on one or two players to show me they’re ready to play as I have one or two doubts in key positions. Once I know more today I’ll shape up the team the way I think is the best way to get a result this Sunday.

“We strive to be like the top teams and the top teams are always capable of winning matches back to back or three in a row. That’s something we have to try and get into our game. To go to Old Trafford last week and get a win was good - but the question to the players is ‘Arsenal at home, against the form team in the league, can you do it again? Can you push to that level again and produce another performance like that?’ You’ll get the answer tomorrow and hopefully it’s a positive answer. This week we’ve got our work cut out to live up to what I think our supporters will expect, which is another good performance and another three points.”

www.wba.co.uk

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:

“Basically because we don't look too much at the fact whether it is away or home. We play with the same desire and the same attitude, and as well because we have a level of confidence that is there. But West Brom represents as well a good test for us because, on the back of an outstanding result at Manchester United, their confidence is certainly high as well, so it will be a very interesting test.

“For us it is important to maintain our consistent run and to continue to develop as a team because if you look at the broader picture we have had quite a good consistent run since March. But it is important of course that we continue to develop. I believe we can still do better, that there is more to come from us, but that will depend now on how much we want it and how hungry we are to improve.”

www.arsenal.com

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 19/5, Arsenal Win: 4/5, Draw: 11/4.

First Goalscorer

Albion: Anelka 15/2, Anichebe 8/1, Berahino 9/1, Sessegnon 9/1, Long 10/1, Rosenberg 12/1, Brunt 16/1, Morrison 20/1, Amalfitano 20/1, Dorrans 20/1, McAuley 25/1, Mulumbu 25/1, Dawson 33/1, Jones 33/1, Yacob 33/1.

Arsenal: Giroud 4/1, Bendtner 6/1, Ozil 13/2, Akpom 7/1, Ramsey 15/2, Gnabry 15/2, Miyaichi 10/1, Rosicky 11/1, Arteta 14/1, Wilshere 16/1, Flamini 20/1, Frimpong 25/1, Monreal 25/1, Mertesacker 25/1, Vermaelen 33/1, Hayden 33/1, Gibbs 33/1.

REFEREE

Lee Mason (Lancashire)

Refereed two Albion games last season - both against Swansea City. The Baggies lost 3-1 away in November in South Wales but gained revenge in March with a 2-1 win at The Hawthorns.

Oliver took charge of two Arsenal games during 2012/13 - The 0-0 draw at Stoke City in August and another goalless draw at Aston Villa in November.

The Lancashire official has handed out 14 yellow cards and one red in the four games he has refereed so far this season.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets remain on sale to home supporters on the club's ticketing database.

WEATHER FORECAST

Mostly cloudy but dry, 16°C.

FIXTURE HISTORY