West Brom vs. Arsenal: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream and TV Info
For both West Brom and Arsenal, the 2015/16 Premier League season is entering a pivotal period. Over the next few weeks, the fixtures begin to mount up and the league table starts to take a more definitive shape. Both teams will be desperate to get the festive season off to a good start with three invaluable points.
Tony Pulis tends to enjoy locking horns with Arsene Wenger, but he’ll be concerned about his side’s disappointing home form: The Baggies have won just one of their six home league games this season.
Arsenal, by contrast, have been in superb form on the road. The Gunners have the best away form in the division, having triumphed in five of their six trips away from the Emirates Stadium. Their last three away games have seen Wenger’s men claim 11 goals, so they’re sure to provide a stern test for a well-organised West Brom defence.
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With Manchester City not playing until later in the day, Arsenal know that a win in this match could put them clear at the top of the Premier League table. West Brom’s mission will be to stop them.
Date: Saturday, November 21
Time: 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET
Location: The Hawthorns, West Brom
Television coverage: USA (U.S. only)
Streaming: USA Live TV (U.S. only)
Form
West Brom
L (2-0) vs. Crystal Palace
W (1-0) vs. Sunderland
W (0-1) vs. Norwich
L (2-3) vs. Leicester
L (2-0) vs. West Brom
Arsenal
W (2-1) vs. Everton
L (3-0) vs. Sheffield Wednesday
W (0-3) vs. Swansea
L (5-1) vs. Bayern Munich
D (1-1) vs. Tottenham
West Brom have won just one of their last 19 home league matches against Arsenal. That game was a 2-0 victory back in October of 2005.
Scoring goals has been the Baggies’ big problem of late—with just 10 goals in 12 games, no side has scored fewer. Against an Arsenal side who have conceded just two goals in their last five matches, that’s unlikely to get much easier.
The Managers
Tony Pulis believes his opponents this weekend are true title challengers. Per Paul Suart of the Birmingham Mail, he said:
"We’re really looking forward to the game and playing against one of the great teams and some fantastic players. Other years I’ve looked at them and thought they didn’t have the depth or the experience - they just lacked a bit of whatever it takes.
He might decide to add one or two in the window and if he does that, and they’re real quality players added to the group he’s got, they’ve got a wonderful chance. By winning the FA Cup it’s given that group a smell of winning and once you become winners you really want to push on and they could do it this year.
"
Arsenal and West Brom may be battling at opposite ends of the table, but Wenger is still not going to take his opponents lightly. Per Arsenal.com, he insisted he had been impressed by the midlands outfit.
"I watched them against Man United and they looked a very well organised team which is absolutely —as always with Tony Pulis—fully committed.
On top of that they are in a difficult situation a little bit in the Premier League and you expect what you always expect in the Premier League - a committed, physical, fast game and a game where we cannot afford to make any mistakes.
I would even say that you don’t even look at the table any more because you know what you get. The difference between the teams has narrowed and today it is more about how much can you be close to your best which will decide the result, more than the team you play against.
"
Wenger must hope that his players show the Baggies the same respect and focus he has.
Team News
West Brom
After being sent off against Manchester United, Gareth McAuley will be unavailable for this match. Beyond that, Tony Pulis has a full squad to choose from—even auxiliary left-back Chris Brunt is fit again after recovering from a groin problem.
With the exception of McAuley, Pulis is likely to stick with the men who provided a stern test for United in their last outing.
Predicted West Brom XI (4-5-1): Boaz Myhill; Craig Dawson, Jonas Olsson, Jonny Evans, Chris Brunt; James McClean, Darren Fletcher, Claudio Jacob, James Morrison, Stephane Sessegnon; Salomon Rondon
Arsenal
The Gunners midfield pair of Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have not recovered in time for this game. That’s a blow to Arsenal, who will probably have to hope that Alexis Sanchez is not too fatigued after an international break packed with travel and toil.
The good news is that Hector Bellerin has returned to fitness and is available for selection again. Wenger faces a difficult decision over the French pair of Laurent Koscielny and Olivier Giroud. Both men were clearly moved by the recent atrocities in Paris, and the Arsenal boss must see if they are ready to focus fully on the task at hand.
Predicted Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Petr Cech; Hector Bellerin, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal; Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla; Joel Campbell, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez; Olivier Giroud
Players to Watch
West Brom: Darren Fletcher
When Darren Fletcher was forced to take an extended break from football due to the ravages of ulcerative colitis, many feared his career might finish prematurely. However, his recovery since then has been superb. Having moved to West Brom, he has re-established himself as a regular and reliable Premier League performer.
Fletcher will be key to West Brom’s hopes of undoing Arsenal. His industrious midfield style will be used to combat the intricate interplay of the likes of Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil.
Having enjoyed some rousing wins over the Gunners in his United days, Fletcher will be eager to taste victory over Wenger’s men once again.
Arsenal: Mesut Ozil
On form, Ozil is arguably the most effective player in the Premier League. According to Squawka, he has created 44 goalscoring opportunities in his 11 league appearances to date, with 10 of those chances being converted to assists.
If Ozil can find time and space at the Hawthorns, it spells trouble for West Brom. The likes of Fletcher and Claudio Yacob will be snapping at his heels to prevent the World Cup winner weaving his magic.
James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.
