Arsenal travel to South Wales this Saturday looking to cement their lead at the top of the Premier League against newly promoted Cardiff City.

With other teams at the top of the table stuttering and dropping points in recent weeks, this can be the Gunners perfect chance to further their lead as we head into December and the heavier congested fixture list.

However, the Cardiff City Stadium is no easy place to go to as Manchester City, Everton and Manchester United have found out, with all three of these teams dropping points.

Team News

Arsenal have no new fresh injury worries following Tuesday night’s comfortable Champions League win over Marseille, and are able to welcome defender Kieran Gibbs back to the squad following illness. Following two back-to-back substitute appearances, Theo Walcott will be hoping to reclaim a place in the starting line-up.

Elsewhere, Lukas Podolski is still a few weeks away from returning, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Abou Diaby and Yaya Sanogo are all out until 2014.

Aaron Ramsey will be hoping to start and continue on his good form at the club where he started his career, but with Jack Wilshere back on scoring form, and Santi Cazorla, Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky, Mathieu Flamini and Mesut Ozil also fit and ready to play Wenger has a big decision make.

Expected line-up

Szczesny; Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Gibbs; Ramsey, Arteta, Flamini; Cazorla, Giroud, Ozil

Cardiff City

Malky Mackay’s Cardiff City have made a solid start to their first season in the Premier league, thanks largely to their excellent home form, which included an excellent 3-2 win over Manchester City.

The Bluebirds can put their good performances down to some excellent business in the transfer market, such as capturing defender Steven Caulker from Spurs, whilst also have some very good young English talent in the form of Jordan Mutch and Frazier Campbell.

Cardiff have solid foundations at the back with David Marshall in goal, and Steven Caulker showing international class at the heart of their defence. While in attack, Peter Whittingham and Jordan Mutch’s creativity, in addition to Frazier Campbell and Craig Bellamy’s non-stop work ethic also produce the goods.

Cardiff City at home are a very good side, and this could prove a tricky one for the Gunners. However, Arsenal have the best away record in the league this season, and with a midfield as attacking and plentiful as Arsenal’s it’s hard to see them not scoring goals, having only not scored in one game this season.

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