Arsenal vs Leicester City: Wenger urges Arsenal to be wary of Foxes' counter-attack

Arsenal have not scored in their last two games at the Emirates but relieved the pressure of their uncertain form with a 2-0 win at Bournemouth last weekend

Theo Walcott of Arsenal during a training session at London Colney (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsène Wenger has told his Arsenal players to impose themselves on Leicester City as they look to derail the Premier League leaders’ title charge at the Emirates on Sunday.

Arsenal host Claudio Ranieri and his team of non-stop underdogs in north London knowing that another surprise victory for Leicester in this remarkable season would leave the London team trailing the Midlands club by eight points.

But after watching Leicester dismantle Manchester City 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium last weekend, Wenger has stressed that his team must rely on their own possession-based game to overcome Ranieri’s liking for playing on the break.

Wenger said: “We will try, of course, to stop their counter-attacking. But at home you have to express your strengths, and our strength is to have the ball. We have to try to express our strengths and as well try to stop them from hitting us on the break.”

Arsenal are one of only two teams to beat Leicester in the league this season – Liverpool being the other – after a 5-2 success at the King Power Stadium in September. But Wenger admits he has spotted a change in their play over the course of the winter.

“I watched our game again because I wanted to watch how this team [evolved] since,” Wenger said yesterday. “I watched the game again when we won 5-2. There is an evolution in their game. They are more cautious at the moment. They play a lot in their final third and come out very quickly. Look at the number of direct balls from their half to the opponents’ half. They are higher than anyone else because they have Jamie Vardy on his way straight away when they win it.

“They do it very well. They suck you in and go very quickly in the opponents’ half. Today they are a bit more about sitting there and using their strengths in a very efficient way, which is what they did remarkably well against Manchester City.”

Arsenal have not scored in their last two games at the Emirates but relieved the pressure of their uncertain form with a 2-0 win at Bournemouth last weekend when Theo Walcott was on the bench and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who scored the second goal, started.

Wenger now has to decide whether to use the pace of Walcott from kick-off. “Recently Theo has gone through a bit of a difficult patch,” the manager said.

“He’s coming back just now and I haven’t decided yet [if he will play]. [Leicester] play very deep so they don’t give you a lot of space behind. So for us it’s always difficult. Do we use one tall guy to force that on the crosses or do we go for a bit more pace?”

Danny Welbeck is close to a return having missed all season with a knee injury but Wenger still expects Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla to be out for another three to four weeks. Tomas Rosicky is also absent while, at the back, Wenger will surely not recall Per Mertesacker and instead stick with the pace of Gabriel to partner Laurent Koscielny due to the speed of Vardy.