Table-topper Arsenal will see its Premier League title credentials tested when it visits Wales to face Swansea on Saturday.
Arsene
Wenger's side heads the division from rival Tottenham on goal
difference thanks to four victories from its first five matches and
travels to the Liberty Stadium looking to extend that run.
New
signing Mesut Ozil – who arrived from Real Madrid for a club record
transfer fee of 42.5 million pounds – has made a bright start to life at
Arsenal and will once again be expected to star, while Olivier Giroud heads into the fixture joint top of the league's scoring charts.
Giroud
has netted four goals in his five Premier League matches so far this
term, while Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey is also in outstanding form.
The
22-year-old has already netted seven strikes for Arsenal in all
competitions this season, including four in his last three matches.
Wenger
resisted the temptation to use his stars in Wednesday's Capital One Cup
third-round win over West Brom but his faith in his fringe players was
rewarded as they progressed on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
"I
am proud. We played with many young players and they showed they are
not only good footballers but that they can fight as well," Wenger said
afterwards.
With many of Arsenal's big names rested, Wenger avoided any further injuries to an already depleted squad.
Theo Walcott
will miss several weeks with an abdominal problem, and midfielders Alex
Oxlade-Chamberlain and Abou Diaby (both knee), and striker Lukas
Podolski (hamstring) are long-term absentees.
Spanish midfielder
Santi Cazorla (ankle) has an outside chance of returning on Saturday,
but is more likely to play on Tuesday against Napoli in the Champions
League, when Tomas Rosicky (thigh) is also set to make his comeback.
Meanwhile,
Swansea's Capital One Cup defense ended on Wednesday as it slumped to a
3-1 defeat at Championship outfit Birmingham City.
Manager
Michael Laudrup also played a second-string side, making 10 changes to
the team that beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in its last league fixture.
But
Swansea's form prior to that cup defeat had been good, with a
four-match unbeaten run highlighted by a superb 3-0 Europa League win at
Valencia.
Swansea – which lost its first two Premier League fixtures of the season – has bounced back and climbed to ninth in the table.
Club
captain Ashley Williams (ankle) missed Wednesday's defeat and is a
doubt for the Arsenal match, as is midfielder Pablo Hernandez
(hamstring).
Swansea has enjoyed a good record against Arsenal
since earning promotion to the top flight, winning two of four meetings,
while it also forced Wenger's side to a replay in the third round of
the FA Cup last season.
Friday, September 27, 2013
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