Arsenal entertain Stoke City in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
Arsenal will look for their third win on the bounce in all competitions, as Stoke City travel to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday in the Premier League.
The Gunners, having finished top of Group A in the UEFA Champions League will now switch their attention to picking up three points versus Mark Hughes’ much-improved Stoke side.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Having put the perennial mental block of November behind them – winning just one league game and being knocked out by Southampton in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup – Arsene Wenger’s men will seek a second-straight league win domestically.
Thumping West Ham United 5-1 at the London Stadium last Saturday evening, Alexis Sanchez’ stock rose further with another hat-trick against the struggling Hammers.
Arsenal will face a likely tougher examination this weekend against a Potters outfit that have lost just once since mid-September, but likewise have won their last two league games.
Stoke City’s Jonathan Walters scores their first goal
The two sides have met 16 times in the Premier League and whilst the trip to the Potteries continues to be a treacherous one for the Gunners, Stoke have lost all eight away league encounters, scoring just three times.
When last they met back in January, Wenger’s men took away a point from the Britannia Stadium. However, the last two meetings in North London has seen the home side win both two and three nil respectively – with Sanchez scoring a brace in January 2015.
Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring the second goal for Arsenal
Arsene Wenger must decide whether to rotate the side that won convincingly in Switzerland on Tuesday night.
Full-back Mathieu Debuchy being ruled out until mid-January has been tempered with the news Hector Bellerin could return to face Stoke this weekend following an ankle injury.
Santi Cazorla has undergone successful surgery and will be out until late February.
Both Per Mertesacker and Chuba Akpom will return in the new year, as will striker Danny Welbeck, who is now just a month away from recovering from a knee cartilage issue.
Here is how Arsenal could lineup versus Stoke City:
Mark Hughes is sweating on the fitness of a number of key men ahead of the trip to North London.
Midfielder Marko Arnautovic is struggling with a hip problem and will be assessed late on, whilst Steven Ireland and Ibrahim Afellay are still a few weeks off.
Defender Bruno Martins-Indi is a doubt with the Dutchman nursing a facial injury, but he could yet play with a mask. Centre-back partner Ryan Shawcross should return from a calf problem.
Full-backs Geoff Cameron and Phil Bardsley are set to miss out, with goalkeeper Jack Butland ruled out for a further month, allowing Lee Grant to deputise once more in goal.
Here is how Stoke City could lineup:
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