Ian Wright and Jamie Carragher agree Arsenal are likely to return to form against an under-strength Everton in Saturday night’s Premier League clash.
The Gunners have set the pace so far this season but are likely to find themselves back in second place come kick-off at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Manchester City, who appear to be back to their best and scenting blood, host struggling West Ham several hours before Mikel Arteta’s man are back in action and likely looking to retain top spot.
Pep Guardiola’s side have been able to chip away at Arsenal’s lead as a consequence of the north London club’s patchy recent away form.
Four points were dropped at Sunderland and Chelsea while they were subjected to only their second defeat of the season ealier this month following Emi Buendia’s dramatic last minute winner for high-flying Aston Villa.
Arsenal did return to winning ways last weekend but in unconvincing fashion, requiring an injury-time own goal to overcome struggling Wolves.
Everton have enjoyed a solid start to the campaign but Carragher believes Arsenal will be visiting Merseyside at the ideal time given David Moyes will be without the likes of Iliman Ndiaye, Idrissa Gueye, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and potentially Jack Grealish.
It's crunch time for Arsenal
Arsenal maintained their two point lead at the top over the weekend, but only by the skin of their teeth. With Manchester City now looking far more like their old selves, suddenly the Premier League title race is starting to take a very familiar shape.
The Gunners next six games could tell us a lot about whether they’re ready to go the distance this time given they dropped 13 points from the corresponding fixtures last season
- Everton (a) 1-1
- Brighton (h) 1-1
- Aston Villa (h) 2-2
- Bournemouth (a) 2-0
- Liverpool (h) 2-2
- Nottingham Forest (a) 0-0
‘Everton have got a few players out,’ the former Liverpool defender told The Overlap. ‘I think that’s a decent game for Arsenal Ndiaye is out, he’s going to AFCON. Grealish it out, Dewsbury-Hall is out.’
Arsenal are not without injury concerns of their own with defensive linchpin Gabriel still likely to be missing but Wright is confident of another three points, regardless of the Brazil international’s fitness.
He said: ‘I’m happy, keep calm and get past Christmas. The only this is if Gabriel is still out. I still think we’ll beat them by the odd goal.’
In the absence of so many key players, meanwhile, Everton’s James Garner insists he is ready to assume more responsibility in a leadership role.
He said: ‘I think [playing as a senior midfielder] comes quite naturally, to be fair.
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‘I’m quite a quiet leader. I’ve been captain pretty much every single place I’ve been at, coming through the youth teams, so it comes quite naturally to me.
‘Hopefully, I can bring the lads along and whoever I end up playing with in midfield, I’m sure I can help them and they can help me.
‘We just want to keep picking up three points and keep on climbing the table.’
