Arsenal’s injuries among 3 Premier League storylines to watch
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When Saturday comes and the football arrives the three o’clock kick offs can often be a forgotten entity.
With the best games pushed and pulled into the early or late TV slots to gain maximum exposure, it’s often left to Match of the Day to reveal any of the talking points from those mid-afternoon matches.
At news.ladbrokes there is no such preferential treatment, with three storylines picked to look out for pre kick-off:
Can West Ham capitalise on Arsenal’s injury woes?
The north London club’s struggles with fitness have been a common theme this season. As the business end of the campaign approaches, having so many players in the physio room threatens to derail the Gunners’ ambitions.
Three days before a Houdini Champions League escape is required in Monaco, Arsenal host West Ham without Mikel Arteta, the Mathieu’s Flamini and Debuchy, Abou Diaby, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gabriel Paulista and Jack Wilshere.
Arsene Wenger would naturally want to save some of his key men for the French trip and, if he can find enough players to field a weakened side, the 13/2 about the Hammers appeals.
Pearson set for all-angle barracking
Nigel Pearson has had a bizarre season. Among a long procession of losses the former Foxes player has also argued with his own set of fans and throttled a player on the sidelines.
With his side rooted to the foot of the Premier League the King Power Stadium faithful are losing patience. He’ll get no sympathy from the visiting Hull fans this weekend though.
Pearson was the Tigers manager, one point off the play-offs, when he decided to up sticks for a second spell with Leicester in 2011. Leicester were three places below Hull at the time and the orange and black fans are yet to forgive him.
Touchline to be a better watch than the pitch at Villa Park
A repeat of the fracas between Sunderland manager Gus Poyet and Hull’s Steve Bruce is unlikely when the Black Cats do battle with Aston Villa, with the Uruguayan’s former team-mate Tim Sherwood in the dugout.
Although there may not be a punch-up, the pair’s histrionics on the sidelines is still likely to be more entertaining than the on-field action.
Only two games in the last 12 have seen over 2.5 goals scored. In fact there has only been one strike in the last three meetings between the pair, with three goalless games featuring in the last six.
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