Arsenal’s week long break before trekking to Turf Moor on Saturday provides Mikel Arteta’s men with welcome respite from an otherwise congested and turbulent season. Burnley drew with Leicester in midweek, meaning that, for once, the Gunners will be better-rested than their opponents.
Matt Kandela, from Arsenal podcast Le Grove, says: “He [Arteta] hasn’t had the opportunity to really coach because of the amount of games we’ve had to play. So I’m hoping this rare opportunity – where he has all week to focus on the Burnley game – is really going to help.”
This week will be only the third time in 2021 that Arsenal have had six or more days of rest. Following two good results, a well-prepared victory at Burnley could provide the basis for a strong finish to the season.
It comes at a time when the season – and Arteta’s reign – is “on a knife edge”, says Kandela, with the team balancing the Premier League with European ambitions.
“We are capable of winning the Europa League, and if he does […] everyone will be right behind him going into next season. If we don’t win it, everyone will look back and say ‘That’s the worst season we’ve had in the league since 1993’,” Kandela says.
Burnley were dispatched 4-0 by Tottenham last weekend, and drew 1-1 with Arsenal’s last opponents Leicester in midweek, now sitting fifteenth with 29 points – 8 points adrift of Arsenal in tenth. The Lancashire side beat Arsenal 1-0 in December, their first victory in the fixture since 2008.
Arteta will be hopeful following Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over Leicester on Sunday, their second comeback win of the week. After a calamitous start which found Arsenal 1-0 down inside 6 minutes, eventually the injury-ravaged Midlands side relented to Arsenal’s probing wide play.
Two goals before half-time from David Luiz and Alexandre Lacazette put the Gunners ahead, and Nicholas Pépé’s winner sealed it, pleasing the manager who described the team as “solid, composed, confident”.
Conversely, Sean Dyche’s men will be reeling after their weekend thrashing and will hope to rediscover some solidity against Leicester before welcoming Arsenal. After the defeat, the manager said: “Defensively on transition they [Tottenham] were sharper than us, they took their chances, and really that kills your game plan.”
Saturday’s match will pose an extra challenge for Arteta, one of selection. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka were among those rested at the weekend following the side’s last-minute victory against Benfica in the Europa League. In their place, Lacazette and Pépé both scored whilst Willian set up two.
Kandela says: “Arteta’s probably not looking at one game, but the set of three games. Burnley on Saturday, Olympiakos on Thursday and then Spurs on the Sunday. So really the question is ‘How does he rotate?’”
“Almost certainly he’s going to want Aubameyang and Saka fit for Spurs and probably Olympiakos […] I would actually expect a similar team to the Leicester game for Burnley.”
One selection headache has been taken out of Arteta’s hands. Emile Smith-Rowe was substituted after 42 minutes against Leicester, admitting he could not continue due to a hip problem, and looks set to miss the trip to Burnley.
Burnley remain without talismanic striker Ashley Barnes, who is sidelined with a thigh injury, as well as Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson, Robbie Brady and Erik Pieters. Striker Chris Wood made his return from injury against Tottenham, coming on in the 73rd minute, and could start on Saturday.
