EPL

Arteta: 'Right moment' for Wenger's Arsenal return

By Sports Desk December 27, 2022

Mikel Arteta believes it was the "right moment" for Arsene Wenger to make his long-awaited return to Arsenal on Boxing Day.

The legendary Gunners manager was in attendance for the 3-1 victory over West Ham, where the north London side returned to Premier League action in style to clinch a fourth consecutive league win.

Wenger's return to Emirates Stadium was significant as it was his first trip to the club since leaving in 2018, which brought an end to a 22-year tenure.

While he endured a frosty reception from the fans in the latter stages of his spell at the club, Wenger was serenaded by the Arsenal faithful during the comeback victory, where second-half goals from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah clinched all three points.

Though it has taken time for Wenger to return to his former hunting ground, Arteta believes Monday's match came at the ideal time.

"Winning, my mood is going to be much better talking to him and to be around the team," he told reporters.

"He picked the right moment, a really special day because Boxing Day is a beautiful day to play football and I thought today the levels were what he deserved and hopefully he'll like.

"The players didn't know [about it]. We wanted to keep it quiet and allow that space for Arsene. Stan and Josh [Kroenke] are here as well and it was a really special day.

"Thank you so much to him for coming. Hopefully walking through the building he's going to feel everything that everybody thinks of him, the legacy he left here.

"He is very, very attached to this football club. Thank you to him for everything he did at the club.

"Hopefully he's going to leave here and be willing to spend more time with us and be more around us because he's such a big influence for me personally in my career, the way I see the game, but as well for this football club."

Arsenal round off 2022 with a trip to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, then begin the new year three days later at home against Newcastle United.

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    They have a whopping 82.1% chance of victory on Friday, with Brighton's win probability at just 6.8%. The threat of a draw is 11.2%.

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    City have won eight of their nine WSL meetings with Tottenham (L1), winning the last five in a row by an aggregate score of 16-1.

    Only Chelsea (20) have scored more goals in the 2024-25 WSL than Tottenham (12 – level with Man City), however only Palace (16) have conceded more goals than Spurs (14) this term.

    City have gone unbeaten through their opening six games of a WSL season for the fourth time after 2016, 2017-18 and 2018-19, while they have never lost in the competition when playing on a Friday (W3 D1), beating reigning champions Chelsea in their only such game last season (1-0 away).

    LIVERPOOL V CHELSEA

    Sonia Bampastor has had a brilliant start to life at Chelsea, and the Blues are expected to keep up that excellent form when they face Liverpool.

    Chelsea's win likelihood is 73.1%, while there is a 15.1% probability of a draw, while Liverpool's chances are rated at 11.8%.

    Bompastor could become the first manager to win each of their first four away games in the WSL. Chelsea have already scored 14 goals on the road this season, with the previous most scored under a manager after four away games being 11 by Jonas Eidevall's Arsenal. 

    Matt Beard, meanwhile, has won four of his 10 WSL meetings with Chelsea as Liverpool manager (D1 L5) – including his most recent in May 2024 (4-3) – with Nick Cushing (five) and David Parker (five) the only managers to win more games in the competition against the Blues.

    Chelsea have won their opening five games of a WSL season for the very first time and could be the sixth team to win their first six matches of a campaign after Arsenal (2018-19, 2021-22, 2022-23) and Man City (2016, 2017-18).

    This will be the 23rd WSL meeting between Liverpool and Chelsea with only Arsenal and Chelsea meeting more often in the competition (28 times).

    Despite the Blues being favourites for this one, it is worth noting Chelsea won four consecutive WSL away games against Liverpool between September 2015 and March 2019 but are since winless in their last three such trips (D1 L2).  

    CRYSTAL PALACE V EVERTON

    Things are not going well for Everton this season. They are bottom of the pile and without a win to their name.

    They visit Palace on Sunday, and the supercomputer is anticipating a tight contest. The hosts' chances are rated at 37.3%, with Everton's at 36.3%. The draw is at 26.4%.

    Everton's two points is their joint-worst tally at this stage of a WSL campaign along with 2014, when they were relegated, and 2018-19 (finished 10th).

    Everton are, however, unbeaten in their last eight WSL games against newly-promoted opposition (W6 D2), winning each of their last four such away games by an aggregate score of 14-0.  

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    WEST HAM V LEICESTER CITY

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    MANCHESTER UNITED V ASTON VILLA

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    Marc Skinner's team, who are still unbeaten, are backed to get the win at 73.4%, with Villa having a slender 11.2% chance.

    With just two points from six games, Villa have had their worst start to a WSL campaign (D2 L4) and this is the first time they have gone winless across their opening six matches.

    Villa have lost all four of their away meetings with United in the WSL, conceding 15 goals and netting just once in the process, with that sole goal coming in this fixture last season when losing 1-2.  

    United may be unbeaten, though they have drawn their last two WSL games. The Red Devils could draw three successive league matches for the first time since November 2021.

    Their success has been built on solid foundations this season. United have conceded just two goals after five league games, facing fewer than 10 shots in three of those matches.

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