Swansea v Arsenal preview: Luciano Narsingh out for hosts
Saturday 14 January 2017 15:00, UK
New signing Luciano Narsingh will not be available to make his Swansea debut against Arsenal on Saturday.
The winger became the Swans first signing of the transfer window when he joined for £4m from PSV Eindhoven on Thursday.
However, he will not feature against Arsenal due to a calf problem.
The match at the Liberty Stadium will be Paul Clement's first home game since being appointed as Swansea head coach.
Clement was in the dugout as the Swans ended a four-match losing streak with victory at Crystal Palace in their last league match.
Arsenal, meanwhile, staged a late fightback in their previous league game as they came from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Bournemouth.
However, they start the weekend fifth in the Premier League, eight points behind leaders Chelsea, who travel to Leicester on Saturday evening.
Team news
Swansea will be without Narsingh and also Neil Taylor, who misses out after fracturing his cheekbone in training.
Stephen Kingsley or Angel Rangel is expected to deputise for Taylor, while Lukasz Fabianski, Alfie Mawson, Wayne Routledge and Fernando Llorente should return after being rested for the FA Cup defeat at Hull last weekend.
Mesut Ozil is available for Arsenal after missing the last three matches with illness.
Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech and Alexis Sanchez will return after they were rested in the FA Cup, but Theo Walcott (calf), Santi Cazorla (Achilles), Mohamed Elneny (international duty), Per Mertesacker and Kieran Gibbs (both knee), Hector Bellerin (ankle) and Francis Coquelin (hamstring) are out.
Opta stats
Swansea have lost three of their last four home matches against Arsenal in the Premier League (W1).
The Gunners have never failed to score in five previous Premier League games at the Liberty Stadium (10 goals, two per game on average).
Swansea have won just 15 points from their 20 games this season; their worst return at this stage of a Premier League season. 71% of the teams with 15 points of fewer after 20 PL games were relegated (25/35).
After a run of 12 away games without a defeat, Arsenal are winless in their last three on the road in the top-flight (D1 L2).
The Gunners have conceded in each of their last six Premier League away matches; their longest run without a clean sheet since May 2011 (seven games).
Olivier Giroud has scored 12 goals from his last 17 shots on target in all competitions and has scored in each of his last eight starts for Arsenal in all competitions.
Alexis Sanchez has scored or assisted 30 goals in his last 31 Premier League appearances (20 goals, 10 assists).
Paul Merson's prediction
Swansea had a great result at Palace and a draw would be decent for them, but I'm backing Arsenal to win.
I like Paul Clement, I have met him and he’s a very good coach. I thought they brought him in thinking they are going to get relegated, but knowing he will be able to coach them up next season.
He has worked at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich and you have to be good to have coached those players. I hope he does well.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (10/1 with Sky Bet)
Betting
Arsenal are Sky Bet’s 1/2 favourites for the victory with Swansea up against odds of 5/1, while the draw is priced at 7/2. The Gunners head to Wales as 12/1 joint fourth favourites for the Premier League, while their hosts are currently odds-against to avoid relegation at 6/4.
Olivier Giroud is the 100/30 favourite in the first goalscorer betting while Gylfi Sigurdsson is considered the Swans’ main threat at 8/1.
Swansea v Arsenal features among this weekend’s Super 6 games and you can play for free right here to win £250k.
