EPL ~ Arsenal v Birmingham City

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Saturday, October 16 2010

Arsenal v Birmingham

10:00pm Mio Channel 103

Given these teams' recent histories, which featured Eduardo Da Silva's broken leg following a tackle by Martin Taylor at Birmingham two years ago, plus the ongoing controversy regarding questionable challenges, this contest should make fascinating viewing. Especially as each side suffered reverses in their previous Premier League outing a fortnight ago, when Arsenal were defeated 2-0 at Chelsea and Birmingham lost by the same score at home to Everton. Arsène Wenger's side also require victory to convince they can still be credible title challengers this season.

Venue Emirates Stadium, Saturday 3pm

Tickets Sold out

Last season Arsenal 3 Birmingham 1

Referee M Atkinson

This season's matches 6 Y19, R2, 3.50 cards per game

Odds Arsenal 1-3 Birmingham 10-1 Draw 9-2

Probable starters in bold, contenders in light. Photograph: Graphic

Subs from Szczesny, Rosicky, Gibbs, Vela, Denílson, Eastmond, Lansbury, Walcott, Emmanuel-Thomas, Bendtner

Doubtful Bendtner (groin), Walcott (ankle)

Injured Almunia (elbow, 19 Oct), Fábregas (hamstring, 19 Oct), Koscielny (back, 24 Oct), Sagna (thigh, 27 Oct), Vermaelen (achilles, 27 Oct), Ramsey (broken leg, Nov), Frimpong (knee, May)

Suspended None

Form guide LLDWWW

Disciplinary record Y12 R2

Leading scorer Walcott 4

Subs from Taylor, Murphy, Fahey, Jiranek, Parnaby, Phillips, Vallès, O'Connor, Jerome, Míchel

Doubtful Jerome (ankle)

Injured Beausejour (knee, 23 Oct), McFadden (knee, 23 Oct)

Suspended Gardner (second of three)

Form guide LDLDDW

Disciplinary record Y12 R1

Leading scorer Gardner 3

• Birmingham have not won at Arsenal in any competition since October 1957 – a run of 27 games

• Manuel Almunia has saved five of the six penalties he has faced in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium

• Roger Johnson has blocked 12 shots this season, more than any other player

• Andrey Arshavin has created more goalscoring chances (21) than any other player this season

• Birmingham have failed to keep a clean sheet against Arsenal in 11 of their previous 12 Premier League meetings

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World's end: Arsene Wenger contemplates defeat at Liverpool

Arsene Wenger, outspoken in the past about reckless tackling in the Premier League, believes it is ultimately the players who must shoulder responsibility for fair play.

‘It is not God who tackles people, it is players,’ said Wenger as his Arsenal side prepared to face Birmingham, a game which rekindles memories of Eduardo’s broken leg. ‘It is too easy to hide behind the manager’s instruction because you are responsibility for how you behave. The referee can send somebody off but, if your leg is broken, what can you do?

‘First of all, football has a responsibility to punish people using video for the dirty tackles a referee has not seen. In France you can get six months out for a dirty tackle the referee has not seen.’