Arsenal host Everton with the Premier League leaders looking to maintain their seven-point lead atop the table (yes, Manchester City have a game in hand). With just eight games to go, every one enters that must-win territory which often defines champion sides and Arsenal know it too. Everton, meanwhile, are chasing Europe and come to the Emirates with the second-best travelling record in the Prem this season. Who'll come up on top as Mikel Arteta takes on former boss David Moyes?
Here's everything you need to know about Saturday's game.
How to watch:
The match will be shown on Saturday on Sky Sports in the UK, USA Network in the U.S., SonyLIV in India and Stan Sport in Australia. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.
Key Details:
Kick-off time: Saturday, March 14 at 5:30 p.m. GMT (12:30 p.m. ET; 11:00 p.m. IST and 3:30 a.m. AEST, Thursday).
Venue: Emirates stadium, London
Referee: Andy Madley
VAR: Stuart Atwell
Injury and Team News:
Arsenal:
Mikel Merino, M: OUT, foot
Martin Ødegaard, M: OUT, knee
Riccardo Calafiori, D: DOUBT, hamstring
Leandro Trossard, D: DOUBT, knock
Everton
Jack Grealish, M: OUT, foot
Carlos Alcaraz, M: OUT, knock
Seamus Coleman, D: DOUBT, knock
Talking Points:
The set piece battle
Arsenal have scored a league high 21 goals from set pieces and those inswinging corners from Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have become one of the Prem's most potent weapons. Against them are a team who are curiously underperforming when considering their own offensive set-piece prowess: Everton have just 9 goals from set pieces and that's the only the 12th most in the league. In James Garner, they have a superb crosser of the ball and in the likes of James Tarkowski, Michael Keane and Jarrod Branthwaite, defenders who are perfectly built to reproduce the kind of bullying domination that sets apart Gabriel Magalhães, William Saliba and Jurriën Timber.
What that Everton might has translated to, though, is a defence that has conceded the lowest goals from set pieces all season (6) in the league. Who can bully whom in these set piece situations could well decide the fate of this match.
Can Arsenal maintain Premier League momentum?
After a brief stumble in which they played out back-to-back draws to Wolves and Brentford, Arsenal seem to be gathering momentum just when most needed. With three wins in three league games, the league leaders have increased the gap to chasing Manchester City to seven points (City have a game in hand, of course).
Only one of those wins were really convincing, though, and at this stage it's time to ignore any performances against Tottenham Hotspur as an anomaly. More pertinent was this mid-week's showing at Bayer Leverkusen where Arsenal struggled to a draw with the kind of showing that's becoming all too familiar. It's one they'll need to improve upon to get the result they want against Everton.
Everton remain in touching distance of Europe
And it won't be easy because Everton have their own lofty ambitions to catch in the run-in. With fifth looking increasingly likely to be a UEFA Champions League spot, competition is tightening up. Everton have rather flown under the radar and at eighth in the league, are just five points of fifth placed Chelsea. With those above them enduring topsy-turvy form, anything is possible and a strong run from Everton could well take them back to Europe's premier competition after ages -- if that isn't motivation enough to dig deep and get a result at the leaders', little else will be.
Can Arteta afford to rotate?
Arsenal have looked a tired outfit lately: case in point being that first leg at Leverkusen. They have a deep squad, a deeper one than their opponents, but injuries to the likes of Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard means Arteta might not be able to dip into it as much as he'd have liked. With the Leverkusen tie still in the balance, he knows he'll need to play the A-team on Tuesday... but with so much pressure in the Premier League, with the confidence that Everton are carrying, he'll probably need the A-team on Saturday too.
Will we see the same XI take to the field at the Emirates as we did at BayArena?
What do the numbers say?
The recent head-to-head is completely in Arsenal's favour: They are unbeaten in their last six Prem games against Everton (W4 D2) and in fact have lost just one of their last 29(!) home games against Everton (0-1 in April 2021).
What will give Everton fans hope is their away record: Only Arsenal (9) have won more away than Everton (7) ... and in fact Everton have won four of their last five away trips (D1)