After successive defeats against Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion, Arsenal have managed to clinch back-to-back wins on the road to somewhat limit the damage done post the restart.
The Gunners defeated Southampton in their last Premier League clash and then went on to secure a place in the semi-final of the FA Cup by eliminating Sheffield United on Sunday.
On Wednesday, Mikel Arteta’s side will turn their attention back to the Premier League as they are due to welcome a stuttering Norwich City side, who are placed rock-bottom in the table, at the Emirates Stadium.
Daniel Farke’s troops have lost all of their last three games since the resumption and are facing the very real prospect of getting relegated to the Championship.
Their latest defeat came at the hands of Manchester United at the weekend as they crashed out of the FA Cup after Harry Maguire’s late goal in extra-time.
While Arsenal will strive to keep their momentum going, the visitors will look to bounce back to offer themselves a semblance of a chance going into the last 6 games of the season.
ARSENAL vs NORWICH CITY: 3 KEY BATTLES
Hector Bellerin vs Todd Cantwell
Hector Bellerin is expected to operate as a right-back or as a right-wing-back and it is time for him to get back in his groove. The Spaniard has seemingly been afraid of taking bold decisions and he will be put to test by Todd Cantwell.
With 6 goals and 2 assists to his name from 31 Premier League games, Cantwell has thrived with immense maturity. A key attacking outlet for the Canaries, the 22-year-old carries the ball forward and takes on defenders with ease.
Bellerin has to not only shut down Cantwell but also look to make swift transitions from defence to attack with his blistering pace. If the Norwich City attacker sets the tone early on, Bellerin might end up having a difficult day in the office.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang vs Max Aarons
Since the restart, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has struggled to make a substantial impact in the final third. The Gabon international scored his last league goal back in February and Arteta desperately needs him to deliver.
Playing at home against a relegation-threatened Norwich City side will be an ideal scenario for him to find the back of the net. He is a potent goal-getter, having plundered 17 league goals already, and will attempt to terrorize Max Aarons.
Aarons, just like his fellow defenders, has failed to get going at the back. Their frontier has been repeatedly breached and in order to keep Aubameyang quiet, the defence has to have a special game tomorrow.
Granit Xhaka vs. Kenny McLean
Slowly but surely, Granit Xhaka is finding his rhythm with his noteworthy performances in the middle of the park. The Swiss midfielder has been much more composed after the break and has been crucial in dictating the tempo of the game.
The north London based outfit are expected to have the major chunk of possession and Norwich City’s Kenny McLean must showcase his hunger to win the ball back and also needs to get forward to create chances for his teammates.
Both the players have to be at their best while tackling and intercepting to win points for their respective employers. Xhaka has to make good use of his experience to keep McLean at bay while the latter has to test the midfield partnership of Xhaka and Ceballos to the limit.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored