Norwich vs Arsenal Premier League preview: How to watch, lineups, top four & prediction

Arsenal are back in Premier League action on Boxing Day as they travel to Norfolk to take on Dean Smith’s Norwich City in their penultimate game of the year. Here is the match preview.

It’s been some calendar year and Mikel Arteta’s side have just two fixtures remaining before attentions are turned to what is hopefully a more fruitful 2022.

Sitting in the top four on Christmas Day for the first time since 2016 after the thumping 4-1 win away at Leeds, spirits in the camp are up along with the hope of a brighter future. Nevertheless, there is a long way to go.

The players will barely have had the chance to finish their roast dinners and open all their presents before they make the coach journey up to Carrow Road for this afternoon kick-off, with a distinctly different looking side ensuring progression to the Carabao Cup semi-finals was secured in midweek.

Norwich vs Arsenal Premier League preview: Boxing Day clash at Carrow Road with top four consolidation in sight for Arteta’s side

Beating Sunderland in the quarter-finals booked Arteta’s men a spot in the final four of the competition, and as enjoyable as that may be, focus is rightly centred on consolidating their place in the Premier League top four.

With other sides challenging for Europe behind when it comes to matches played, all Arsenal can do is win their games in advance and keep the pressure piling up on everyone else to make up the ground.

Norwich should, on paper, be a wonderful opportunity to continue creating some breathing space.

Still sitting in the bottom three despite signs of improvement since Smith got the job, the Canaries come into this one having not played in 12 days due to COVID-related postponements of their matches.

Still sitting rock bottom of the division, their tally of two wins from 17 matches with an appalling total of eight goals scored during that period makes them a prime target for three points. Coming away from Carrow Road with anything other than a victory is unacceptable since the vast majority of sides won’t slip up there.

Is a Boxing Day bonanza on the cards?

How to Watch on TV

When Is Kick Off? Sunday 26 December
What Time Is Kick Off? 15:00 (GMT)
Where Is it Played? Carrow Road
TV Channel/Live Stream? Not on UK TV (UK) fuboTV (USA)
Referee? Graham Scott

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Arsenal Team News vs Norwich City

Arteta has been fortunate enough to avoid serious injuries to players across the season so far. Granit Xhaka suffered a knee injury that kept him out for a while, and Kieran Tierney missed a few weeks, but other than that it’s been mostly smooth sailing with the absences not keenly felt.

For now, anyway.

Takehiro Tomiyasu was the worrying case after he went down clutching his calf against Leeds, although that turned out to be a precautionary substitution and he will be OK for Boxing Day.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continues to train away from the team and gets to spend his festive period on the comfort of his sofa. So long as he isn’t dragged into London Colney, that is. Either way, he’s not playing.

Sambi Lokonga and Pablo Mari will be available for selection after UK laws reduced self-isolation time from ten to seven days, and it will also be the last Arsenal see of Partey, Aubameyang, Elneny and Pepe before AFCON.

As for Smiths’ men, Christoph Zimmermann, Andrew Omobamidele and Grant Hanley are set to miss out, but Milot Rashica and Mathias Normann could return in a boost to the hosts.

Lukas Rupp, Joshua Sargent and Pierre Lees-Melou all recently missed out with Covid and it’s unsure whether they’ll be available or not.

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Arsenal Predicted Lineup to Face Norwich – Same Team as Leeds?

Norwich: Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Gibson, Williams; Gilmour, Sorensen, McLean; Raschica, Pukki, Cantwell

Arsenal: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tavares; Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Lacazette

Arsenal hold the unwanted title of being the only side in the Premier League who have to play twice in less than 48 hours. Granted, some others are but a few hours difference, but it nevertheless shows the brutality of an English football fixture list.

While whoever Arteta selects has to (and should be) a winning team, he will have one eye on the Wolves game on the 28th and might consider a few changes in the lineup to compensate. In any case, it’s fourth against 20th in the table. No excuses at all.

One thing that can be said of Smith’s arrival at the club is he’s made them harder to beat. They’re still getting beat, but teams have work harder for three points than they did under Daniel Farke. That’s improvement, right?

Their goal tally, however, is horrendous. Scoring just eight all season, that’s six fewer than Burnley have mustered in two fewer matches.

Essentially what is required is a Leeds repeat. Arsenal have been reintroducing their blistering starts into matches and another mad-cap opening 20 minutes or so could see this one put beyond the Canaries’ reach before they’ve even had chance for their turkey dinners to settle.

That’s also the most favourable outcome with Wolves next up, so we can expect some full throttle football from the off; the like that can produce goals. Even two will seal the deal before the plane can go into autopilot.

Score Prediction: Norwich 0-3 Arsenal