Paul Merson states prediction for Burnley v Arsenal clash

Paul Merson is backing Arsenal to continue their winning Premier League run and beat Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners are unbeaten in five Premier League games since a 4-3 loss to top-four rivals Liverpool in their opening fixture of the 2016-17 season.

Arsenal have beaten Watford, Southampton, Hull City and Chelsea in their last four Premier League outings to hoist Arsene Wenger’s side up to third place.

The Gunners polished off an impressive spell with a 2-0 win against Swiss outfit Basel in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Former Arsenal midfielder Merson believes the north London side should ease to a comfortable victory over Sean Dyche’s side on Sunday afternoon.

“It should be 4-0. Burnley shouldn’t be able to live with Arsenal if they pass the ball around like they have in the last few games,” Merson told Sky Sports.

“But that won’t happen. Burnley will set up 4-5-1 and make it very difficult. If Arsenal get the first goal it sets them up but we have seen it all before, which is why I wouldn’t be shocked if Burnley won.”

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Arsene Wenger gives two reasons for Premier League title drought - and why Arsenal can now win it

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has given his reasons for the club’s long Premier League title drought in the second half of his reign.

The Gunners boss is celebrating 20 years in charge of the side this week, and feels there is renewed hope for him to lift the Premier League trophy again.

Speaking to his former star striker Thierry Henry on Sky Sports, Wenger offered two main reasons that Arsenal ended up falling behind their rivals in recent times.

‘The second one, big investors came in at the same time, like Chelsea, like Man City after, who were hugely ambitious and we were not any more the club who could compete with them on the financial front.’

However, the French tactician now feels Arsenal have a chance to capitalise on the fact that the league has become more even.

‘Today it’s different,’ he added. ‘There are so many investors that nearly everybody is on an equal level again.’

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Cazorla and Xhaka to start : Strong Predicted Arsenal Line Up To Face Burnley on Sunday

Can Arsenal maintain their newly-found excellent form? The north London giants are known for choking and taking their feet off the pedal when it matters most. Particularly, how they fail to pick all available points against the smaller teams has always been their undoing in recent league campaigns.

They travel to Turf Moor on Sunday to face last season’s Championship champions, and having won all of their last 4 league games, getting the better of Sean Dyche’s men shouldn’t be herculean a task.

The quality and rich depth in squad the team now boasts of has made Wenger’s rotation policies work out well thus far, and putting that at the back of the mind, here is how the Gunners might lineup against Burnley on Sunday.

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20th Anniversary : Arsene Wenger refuses to rule out another five years at Arsenal

Arsene Wenger’s refusing to put a deadline on his stay with Arsenal and refused to rule out another five years with the Gunners.

The Frenchman is celebrating 20 years in north London this week but is out of contract at the end of the season.

The 66-year-old has won nine trophies during his time with the club and the club’s hierarchy are keen to see him stay on beyond 2017.

Wenger, though, will wait upon making a decision on his future but insists he could stay at the Emirates for years to come.

‘I rule nothing out because I want to work. And I want to do well,’ said Wenger, when asked if there could be a 25th anniversary.

‘But I accept as well that it can finish tomorrow. It’s a love story and a love story you expect always to last forever. But it can stop any day.’

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Arsenal Boss Arsene Wenger backs Theo Walcott after goal against Chelsea

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has backed a ‘different’ Theo Walcott to continue impressing after his goal against Chelsea.

The England international was one of the Gunners stars to score in their 3-0 victory  over the Blues, along with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.

His coach now thinks that the forward could keep up this form after a change of attitude this season.

‘You cannot question his performance,’ said the Frenchman.

‘But I believe more the change in Theo Walcott is his attitude to this season. He’s ready to fight, commit and straight away he gets the crowd behind him.

‘Theo Walcott of that stature is a completely different player.’

With games against Burnley, Swansea City, Middlebrough, and Sunderland coming up in the Premier League, Walcott may hope to continue his goal scoring form.

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Strong Predicted Arsenal Line Up To Face PSG This Tuesday

Arsenal begin their Champions League campaign on Tuesday with perhaps their hardest assignment of the group phase – an away trip to PSG.

Arsene Wenger will be desperate to make a positive start as the Gunners look to progress beyond the tournament’s Round of 16 stage for the first time in seven seasons 

predicted line up

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Arsene Wenger reveals why he rejected PSG multiple times to stay at Arsenal

Arsene Wenger claims he has rejected offers to join Paris Saint-Germain because Arsenal have the qualities he loves in a club.

The Gunners face PSG in their Champions League group stage opener on Tuesday evening, while L’Equipe claim that the 66-year-old was wanted by the Ligue 1 club in 2011, 2013 and 2014.

But when asked why he rejected PSG’s advances, Wenger replied: ‘Because I love where I am.

‘I know well the PSG owners but I feel always I remained loyal to Arsenal Football Club because I think it’s a club that has the qualities I love. And that’s why.

‘This is an important game but I don’t think it goes beyond two good sides playing against each other.

‘There’s no symbolism to it, no symbolic meaning to this match. We just want to pick up the three points.’

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Arsene Wenger predicts Jack Wilshere will one day be captain and manager of the club

Arsene Wenger has suggested on loan Arsenal player Jack Wilshere will not only be the captain of the Gunners, but will one day be their manager.

Wilshere was shipped out to Bournemouth on loan for the season in a bid to gain minutes on the pitch after an injury-stricken career so far, but Wenger has dismissed claims he has given up on the midfielder.

Wenger is preparing his side for the visit of Southampton on Saturday, but he gave the stunning prediction with regards to Wilshere’s future at the club in his pre-game press conference.

‘Yes,’ said Wenger when asked if Wilshere could be captain one day.

‘Certainly one day he will be in my seat.

‘He has a real football brain and understands football. It’s in his genes.

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Alexis Sanchez believes he’s as good as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez appears to rate himself in the same bracket as multiple Ballon d’Or winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

 ‘I have reached a level where I can compete with great players,’ the 27-year-old told Spanish publication Sport.

‘I do not feel inferior to anybody.

‘I liken [my qualities] to Messi and Ronaldo. I have the same abilities as them.’

Sanchez has already started to show his class this season, having scored once and assisted twice in the three Premier League matches to date.

With games against Southampton, PSG, and Hull City coming up in the space of seven days, the forward will need to keep up this strong start to help the Gunners recover from their slow start to the campaign.

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Ian Wright predicts how many goals Arsenal's new signing Lucas Perez will score in this season

Ian Wright believes new Arsenal signing Lucas Perez is capable of scoring 15-20 goal this season.

The Spanish striker completed a £17m move to the north London club from La Liga outfit Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday afternoon.

Former Arsenal striker Wright is confident Perez can have an instant impact in the Premier League despite his modest goal-scoring record.

“I’m delighted they’ve come. Hopefully he can score goals,” Wright told The Sun Goals app.

“Look at Ighalo. Ighalo was the same. Hardly scored any goals where he came from.

 If he comes in and for this season he kicks on and scores 15-20 goals that will get him going. He will get chances in the Arsenal side.

“Ighalo did it in the Watford team with all due respect. If he kicks on in the Arsenal team with the chances that they make, he could easily score 20 goals – continuously.”

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Deal done: Jack Wilshere leaves Arsenal for Bournemouth

Jack Wilshere has joined Bournemouth on a season-long loan from Arsenal.

The 24-year-old England international will team up with Eddie Howe’s side as he looks to force his way back into Sam Allardyce’s national side.

Wilshere was dropped by the new England manager for his first squad and he has now left the Emirates in search of first-team football.

Arsene Wenger was believed to be reluctant at first to let him leave but decided to grant Wilshere’s wishes in the end.

It will not be a cheap deal for Howe’s team as they will have to cover all of Wilshere’s £80,000-a-week wages.

The Cherries have also paid Arsenal a £2million fee for the privilege of having Wilshere at the club.

It will undoubtedly be seen as a huge coup for Bournemouth nonetheless and they beat Crystal Palace, Roma, West Ham and AC Milan to his signature.

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Deal Done: Middlesborough agree a loan deal for Arsenal's Calum Chambers

ARSENAL defender Calum Chambers has joined newly-promoted Middlesbrough on a season-long loan.

Calum Chambers

Boss Arsene Wenger has signed Rob Holding and Shkodran Mustafi’s this window and will let the youngster gain valuable first-team experience.

Hull, Stoke, West Ham and Roma all enquired about the talented defender but Boro  won the race.

Chambers, 21, burst onto the scene with Southampton where he was played as a right-back but seen as a potential star through the middle.

But since joining Arsenal two years ago he has struggled to break into the first team and his development has stalled.

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Arsenal new signing Shkodran Mustafi revealed How Ozil convinced him to sign for Arsenal

Shkodran Mustafi has lifted the lid on his impending transfer to Arsenal and revealed that his Germany team-mate Mesut Ozil helped convince him to move to the Emirates.

It’s understood Mustafi completed a medical with the north London outfit at the weekend and Arsene Wenger even confirmed that a deal for the 24-year-old Valencia defender would be announced imminently.

 ‘I haven’t spoken to Per yet, since I haven’t seen him for a while, but I spoke with Mesut,’ Mustafi told Sky Germany.

‘He told me everything I wanted to know. How the club is, how it’ s run.

‘Everything he said was very positive, and I was quickly convinced since I find the club awesome.

‘It’s not quite the typical English club who plays the typical English football but instead the football that I like.’

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Watford 1-3 Arsenal:Player Ratings as Sanchez and Ozil return to give Arsenal a first Win

Alexis Sanchez scored one and set up two as Arsenal’s scintillating first-half performance blew Watford away at Vicorage Road.

Santi Cazorla gave the visitors the lead from the penalty spot, ending his long wait to get on the score sheet for Arsenal after missing the second half of last season.

Having been brought down by Watford’s Nordin Amrabat for the penalty, Sanchez made it 2-0 from Theo Walcott’s cross as his scuffed finish made it over the line.

The Chilean was involved again just six minutes later as his pin-point cross was put on a plate for Mesut Ozil to head in the third and put the game beyond doubt before the half-time whistle.

Player Ratings

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Michael Owen states Prediction for Watford v Arsenal clash

Michael Owen believes Watford and Arsenal will play out a high-scoring game at Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon.

The Gunners are still waiting for their first Premier League after Arsenal lost 4-3 against rivals Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in their opening Premier League game.

The north London side were held to a goalless draw with Premier League champions Leicester City at the King Power Stadium last weekend.

Watford, on the other hand, drew 1-1 with Southampton in Walter Mazzarri’s opening Premier League game in charge of the Hornets before a 2-1 defeat by Chelsea last weekend following Diego Costa’s late winner.

 “The Hornets have lost all six games against the Gunners in the PL but they gave Chelsea a fright at Vicarage Road last weekend and this is a tough game to predict,” Owen told BetVictor.

“Watford have led in both PL games so far this term but have only picked up a point; I think there will be goals again at the weekend.”

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Ozil To Start: Strong Predicted Arsenal Line Up To Face Watford this Saturday

Arsenal will look to collect their first win of the new season when they take on Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon.

Here is how I think we’ll see Arsenal line-up:

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Arsenal Boss Wenger hails Perez and Mustafi signings, insists they're not panic buys

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has sung the praises of imminent transfers Lucas Perez and Shkodran Mustafi.

The Gunners boss insists he has not been forced into making ‘panic buys’ late on in the summer transfer window, as he believes in the quality of the players set to come in.

The pair could cost a combined £52million, based on various reports, though some have questioned if Perez in particular is of the required calibre to lead the line for a club like Arsenal.

‘Look at my face, is it the face of somebody who does a panic buy?’ Wenger told reporters.

‘It looks like it will be frenetic for me in the last three days. Everybody has sat on their pounds until now. We know they will all splash out now. I expect the next three days to be very, very busy.

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Done Deal:Lucas Perez has 'Passed his medical with Arsenal' as the club finally sign a striker

LUCAS PEREZ has PASSED his medical with Arsenal as the club finally have a striker through the door before the transfer window shuts. 

Lucas will be available for selection after the international break and will have the week to get used to his new surroundings before the Premier League restarts.

Lucas Perez

The striker had a rate of nearly 1 in 2 games last season for Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna and will add some serious pace to the Arsenal front line.

Arsenal are slowly welcoming back their Euro 2016 stars as Mesut Ozil likely to start tomorrow with Olivier Giroud set to be on the bench again against Watford.

Arsenal are desperate to get their first win of the season before all the clubs are disrupted for the first international break of the season.

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Former Arsenal duo Emmanuel Adebayor and Mathieu Flamini set to sign for Turkish club Caykur Rizespor

EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR and Mathieu Flamini are set to sign for Turkish club Caykur Rizespor.

The former Arsenal duo are due to enter final negotiations at the Super Lig outfit after being released at the end of last season by Crystal Palace and the Gunners.

Adebayor scored just once in 15 appearances for the Eagles last season, while Flamini played 24 times in his final season with Arsenal.

Caykur Rizespor coach Hikmet Karaman told Anadolu Agency: “We reached an agreement in principle with both players.

“They’ll come to Rize within a few days and the last step of negotiations are going to be done.

“This is down to everyone devotedly working to finish the deals, so I have to thank the board of directors and our president.”

Flamini aned Adebayor were team-mates at Arsenal from 2006 to 2008 until the Frenchman brought an end to his first spell at the club by departing for AC Milan.

Adebayor left a year later after in a £25million move to Manchester City after hitting 46 goals in 104 games for the Gunners.

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Deal Done: Sporting Lisbon confirms that Arsenal complete the deal for This striker!

Sporting Lisbon have accepted Joel Campbell's 'challenge' and signed the Arsenal forward on a season-long loan deal.

The Costa Rica international made 19 Premier League appearances for Arsene Wenger's side last season but has moved away from the Emirates Stadium in search of regular game time.

Sporting announced the signing in bizarre fashion on Twitter as Campbell tweeted the club's official account urging them to secure his services, which prompted the club to confirm his rival a minute later.

An Arsenal club statement said: "Everyone at Arsenal wishes Joel a successful season in Portugal.

"The move is subject to international clearance and formal ratification."

Campbell joined Arsenal in 2011 and has had spells on loan at Lorient, Real Betis, Olympiacos and Villarreal in an effort to force his way into Wenger's plans but remains behind the likes of Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the pecking order.

.@joel_campbell12 challenge accepted! Welcome to Sporting CP! #BemvindoCampbell pic.twitter.com/NyA7vIv2aV

— Sporting CP (@Sporting_CP) August 21, 2016

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