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Arsenal will put their 13-match unbeaten Premier League streak on the line on Saturday as Stoke City make their way to the Emirates Stadium hoping to cause an upset in north London.
The Gunners could go top of the table if they win by two clear goals against Stoke, with current league leaders Chelsea set to face West Brom on Sunday.
That is a feat they could achieve as Arsene Wenger’s men are in good shape after scoring 12 times in their last four games in all competitions.
Their star duo of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are presently unplayable and could turn any difficult match around for their side. Wenger will surely be counting on them to do the magic today once more.
Stoke travel to the Emirates in good form too as well, having lost just once in their last nine Premier League outings, winning five of those meetings. They have an opportunity to move up to sixth if they topple Arsenal in Week 15.
Arsenal welcome back Francis Coquelin from suspension, while Hector Bellerin faces a late fitness test.
Santi Cazorla (ankle), Mathieu Debuchy (hamstring), Per Mertesacker and Danny Welbeck (both knee) remain out.
Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross is unlikely to return from a calf strain but Bruno Martins Indi (cheek) and Marko Arnautovic (knock) are both available.
Geoff Cameron (knee) is still out along with long-term absentees such as Ibrahim Afellay (knee) and Jack Butland (ankle).
Arsenal have won each of their last 14 home matches in all competitions against Stoke City, keeping eight clean sheets in the process.
Stoke’s last away league win at Arsenal was in 1981/82, with the Potters losing all eight of their PL visits to Emirates Stadium. Only at Old Trafford have they gone longer without a win since being promoted in 2008 (W0 D1 L8).
Arsenal are on a 13-match unbeaten run in the Premier League (W9 D4 L0); their longest such run in the competition since a run of 16 matches ending in April 2011.
Peter Crouch has scored eight times against Arsenal in the Premier League; only against Blackburn Rovers does he have as many goals in the competition.
Arsene Wenger on title prospects: “We have a chance. December is a very important month. We have big games.”
“We are playing well but have plenty of room for improvement,” Wenger said.
“We want to develop as a team and that is what we have done since the start of the season. We had a difficult start but responded very well. I feel the team is on the way upwards.”
Mark Hughes: It’s important for us to give ourselves an opportunity to get something out of the game, we need to stay in the match and frustrate them.”