The Riverside Stadium has not been a happy hunting ground for Arsene Wenger’s team in recent seasons. Last December, Arsenal’s unbeaten record in the league came to an end after Boro triumphed 2-1, while the previous two occasions have resulted in another 2-1 win for the home side and a 1-1 draw. Therefore, should Arsenal really be odds-on (4/5 Boylesports) for this clash?
Yes, the Gunners won 2-1 at Chelsea a fortnight ago, although they have come a cropper at Stoke, Fulham and Manchester City this term. In addition, last Saturday’s 1-0 win against Wigan was hardly the stuff of dreams, and Gareth Southgate’s men make appeal at 11/4 (bet365) on the Draw No Bet market. If you fancy them for the win, you could also do worse than plump for the 4/1 (Blue Square) on the outright.
Then again, who knows what Middlesbrough side will turn up for this one! The Wearside club are having a typically erratic season, winning at Aston Villa and Wigan, but losing at home to West Brom and Bolton. Their recent form hasn’t been great and they were trounced 5-0 by Chelsea in front of their own fans. The Gunners are 15/8 (Paddy Power) to lead at half-time and full-time for those that are sweet on their chances.
Wenger will be keen for his team to be stubborn from a defensive point-of-view; might we end up witnessing an old-school 1-0 tightly-fought victory in their favour. Such an outcome is priced at 13/2 (Sportingbet), while Emmanuel Adebayor is 9/2 (totesport) to follow up his goal against Wigan with the first strike here. For Boro, Tuncay (9/1 William Hill) seems the best option, especially as he scored against the same opponents last season. William Gallas (25/1 Betfred) stands out at a big price.