March saw Arsenal pick up just 2 points in the Premier League whilst being eliminated from both the Champions League and the FA Cup. This all after their Carling Cup final defeat to Birmingham. When Saturday comes it will be April and Arsenal have a fresh set of fixtures to get their Premier League title hunt back on track. Favourable fixtures to say the least.
Arsenal host Blackburn Rovers this weekend, a side, who under Steve Kean have only manage to beat West Brom and Liverpool in the Premier League. It’s 2 points in their last 6 for Rovers who are relegation candidates now, heading into the weekend just 1 point above the drop zone despite sitting in 13th position. It would be a shock to see them pick up anything this weekend.
Arsenal have won their last 6 home Premier League meetings with Blackburn convincingly; 5 of them by 3 goals or more, with the smallest victory being 2-0. Interestingly, two of those scorelines have been 6-2 (the unquoted scoreline; either team scoring 4 or more, is at 4.0 with Betfair).
Robin van Persie is expect to shake off a knock he picked up midweek during the Netherlands’ 5-3 victory over Hungary and play against a team he has fun scoring against (and should be a serious contender for your fantasy team this weekend). Andrey Arshavin often enjoys a good performance against Rovers too, with their defence not being the best at defending the short, quick and skilful players.
With Manchester United facing a potential banana skin at West Ham in the early kick off on Saturday, Arsenal could well close the gap on the leaders with a big victory in the evening kick off, 3 hours after Manchester United leave the field at Upton Park.
Having been eliminated from the Champions League, Arsenal do not play midweek before they travel to another relegation candidate, Blackpool next weekend. Am I wrong to suggest 6 points are Arsenal’s from their next 2 games?
Manchester United have it much tougher, firstly with their game at West Ham being followed up by a trip of Stamford Bridge in the Champions League midweek and then a home game with a Fulham side who aren’t losing many of late. Manchester United’s compact fixture list added with defensively injuries and a lack of depth in centre midfield should leave the Premier League title in Arsenal’s destiny.
Arsenal are currently 4.3 to win the Premier League and 1.69 to beat Blackburn with a -1.5 handicap. How do you think they will fare and where do you see the Premier League trophy ending up at the end of the season?
Written by Premiership Tips.
