With two-thirds of the Premier League season gone already, there is still plenty of football to be played. One of those matches is between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates and will see Theo Walcott return to the club where he spent 12 years. The English winger signed for Everton a couple of weeks ago during the January transfer window. His new side are in 9^th while his former employers are struggling to get into the Champions League places in 6^th.

STATS

• As mentioned, Arsenal aren’t going to qualify for the Champions League at this rate for the second consecutive campaign. They have won just one of their last five league matches and are falling away from the sides ahead of them. Their 4-1 win over Crystal Palace a couple of weeks ago showed signs of improvement but they were brought back down to Earth with a 3-1 loss away at Swansea in midweek.
• Everton have picked up after their shocking start to the season but their form has slowed. Although, they did beat Leicester 2-1 on Wednesday night which saw them move closer to the Europa League spots. Before that, they had gone six league games without a win and it looked as though they might have begun to slip down the table again.
• Alexandre Lacazette has been struggling to score in the last couple of months so hopefully, the club record signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Dortmund should provide a new lease of life in attack for the Gunners.
• Wayne Rooney is Everton’s leading goal scorer this term with 10 goals but after his brace against Leicester, Walcott will be looking to bag his third Toffees goal.

HEAD TO HEAD

Arsenal are certainly one of Everton’s bogey teams as the Merseysiders have won just twice in 21 league attempts. The last meeting between the sides in October was very interesting with seven goals and a red card. The Gunners came out 5-2 winners in their trip to the North with three goals inside injury time. Everton last beat Arsenal in North London in 1996 on a day when Andrei Kanchelskis scored the winner after Ian Wright had scored the opener, how times have changed.

ARSENAL NEWS

Arsenal desperately need a win to keep their hopes of a top-four spot alive and three points would put them within a win of Tottenham in 5^th if Spurs lose. They might be without their new striker, Aubameyang while Jack Wilshere will undergo a late fitness test. It will be too early for Danny Welbeck to return.

Latest matches: Arsenal FC

30.01.2018	Prem	Swansea City	Arsenal FC	3:1	L
24.01.2018	EFL	Arsenal FC	Chelsea FC	2:1	W
20.01.2018	Prem	Arsenal FC	Crystal Palace	4:1	W
14.01.2018	Prem	Bournemouth AFC	Arsenal FC	2:1	L
10.01.2018	EFL	Chelsea FC	Arsenal FC	0:0	D

EVERTON NEWS

While Everton can’t actually move up the table, three points would bring them further to guaranteeing their safety this season. James McCarthy broke his leg in their match with West Brom so obviously won’t feature and neither will Leighton Baines who is still injured.

Latest matches: Everton FC

31.01.2018	Prem	Everton FC	Leicester City	2:1	W
20.01.2018	Prem	Everton FC	West Bromwich Albion	1:1	D
13.01.2018	Prem	Tottenham Hotspur	Everton FC	4:0	L
05.01.2018	FA C	Liverpool FC	Everton FC	2:1	L
01.01.2018	Prem	Everton FC	Manchester United	0:2	L

SUMMARY

Despite their poor performances of late, Arsenal are definitely favourites for the win at the Emirates on Saturday. Everton will defend well but ultimately, the Gunners should have too much quality going forward to overcome them.