Arsenal can end the year on top but need a deadly striker
It may seem ridiculous to say this about a side second in the English Premier League, but Arsenal needs to sign a top-class striker in the January transfer window.
The Gunners have scored 36 goals from 19 matches, but its profligacy in front of goal was evident in its 2-0 home loss to West Ham early this morning.
Mikel Arteta’s men had a staggering 77 touches in West Ham’s penalty box without scoring – unsurprisingly, a league record without putting the ball past the goalkeeper.
It was not the first time the club has wasted its possession this season. If it is to end its title drought – the last time it won the league crown was in 2004 – it may have to dip into the transfer market next week.
Arteta is eyeing Brentford’s Ivan Toney, who is available for selection in January after serving an eight-month ban for gambling on matches.
The English FA had initially pushed for a 15-month ban but agreed to a reduced punishment “after taking into account the striker’s guilty plea and evidence from a psychiatry expert who concluded that Toney “is a gambling addict”.
The Bees’ striker is in therapy and has stopped gambling, and Arteta made him his top choice in January after the striker scored 20 times in 33 games last season.
But would Brentford allow Toney to leave as the club is on a run of four straight losses – six defeats in seven games in total – and has only scored 25 times from 18 matches?
Having stood by him, it would take an extraordinary offer from Arsenal for Brentford to let Toney go.
Elsewhere, Manchester City returned to action after winning the Club World Cup to defeat Everton 3-1 to move back into fourth place, ahead of Tottenham, who suffered a 4-2 loss to Brighton this morning.
Liverpool leads the table with 42 points from 19 matches, followed by Arsenal (40), Aston Villa (39) and City (37) in the Champions League spots.
Next are Spurs (36), West Ham (33) and Manchester United (31) in the other European slots.
Arsenal may fall to fourth before it plays Fulham on Sunday (10pm), as City and Villa play tomorrow, but a win against its London rival will see the Gunners return to the top of the league as Liverpool only plays on Tuesday (4am).
FIXTURES (Malaysian time)
SATURDAY
Luton vs Chelsea (8.30pm)
Crystal Palace vs Brentford (11pm)
Manchester City vs Sheffield United (11pm)
Aston Villa vs Burnley (11pm)
Wolves vs Everton (11pm)
SUNDAY
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United (1.30am)
Fulham vs Arsenal (10pm)
Tottenham vs Bournemouth (10pm)
TUESDAY
Liverpool vs Newcastle (4am)
WEDNESDAY
West Ham vs Brighton (3.30am)
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