Gunners look for some firepower from Danny Son breaks through in nick of time for Spurs
DANNY Welbeck is targeting a first Premier League start since last May when Arsenal face Watford today after his two-goal showing in the 5-0 FA Cup demolition of Southampton.
The England striker confirmed his return to fitness, scoring twice at St Mary’s Stadium and is now hoping to play a more prominent role in the Gunners’ bid to close the eight-point gap to Premier League leaders Chelsea when Walter Mazzarri’s struggling Watford side visit the Emirates Stadium.
An injury picked up against Manchester City at the end of last season led to the forward’s latest extended absence but Welbeck has been blighted by fitness problems during his three-year stay at Arsenal.
“It was obviously good to be back out on the pitch after such a long time out, it’s been a tough few months,” said Welbeck.
“The thought of coming back definitely helped. I think because I had this experience before, coming back from an injury, I kind of knew what to expect even though it’s a tough time.
“The end game is to be back out on the pitch and playing in the first team and I got that opportunity. I’m certainly looking forward to doing it many more times.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was forced to watch from the stands at St Mary’s on Saturday as he started his four-game touchline ban after being charged for misconduct following his altercation with the fourth official during the home defeat of Burnley.
Against Southampton, Wenger’s absence from the dug-out had little impact and Theo Walcott, scorer of a weekend hat-trick insists it will be no different against Watford.
“We’re on the pitch, we just try to do our job,” said Walcott.
“When things are going well it’s great, it’s obviously important for the manager to be there, but he was in the dressing-room before and after the game and during half-time, but we know our jobs.”
While Arsenal have every right to feel confident about extending their unbeaten run this year, Watford will arrive low on confidence after a humiliating FA Cup exit at the hands of League One Millwall.
Without a win in seven league games, the last thing Mazzarri’s side needed was to find themselves on the receiving end of one of the shocks of the fourth round.
The manager has blamed a lengthy injury list for his side’s dip in form but was confident following the recent draw at Bournemouth that with players coming back, there were signs of improvement. But the Millwall defeat may force a rethink.
“I am very disappointed, angry, disappointed for our fans,” Mazzarri, who made a number of changes to his line-up and is under growing pressure, said.
“It’s normal that in one game it doesn’t go your way. Now we have to concentrate on what is to come.
“We still miss some players, this is why we have to change formation. Now we have 16 games and I want a team that for 16 games fights for every ball and helps us move up the table.”
Goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon was stretchered off against Millwall joining Valon Behrami, Roberto Peyreyra, Nordin Amrabat and Isaac Success on the sidelines. — AFP DUTCH striker Vincent Janssen believes South Korean teammate Son Heung-Min is demonstrating his growing importance to Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur squad.
Son helped save Spurs from an FA Cup embarrassment at the hands of Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday and is in contention to retain his starting spot for the Premier League visit to bottom club Sunderland.
The 24-year-old South Korean international struck twice as Pochettino’s side fought back after trailing by two goals to the League Two side, eventually scoring the added time winner that booked a place in the fifth round.
The victory brought a sense of relief to White Hart Lane, but the team’s underwhelming display raised questions about Pochettino’s claim his squad is strong enough to sustain a Premier League title challenge.
The manager had made nine changes to the side that started in the draw with Manchester City the previous weekend, but Janssen – who appeared as a second-half substitute – believes Son should be above criticism.
“If you see what Sonny has done all season, it’s incredible,” said Janssen. “He’s done well in every game and when he is on the pitch, he shows what he can do.
“He is working very hard as well and you can see what kind of qualities he has. He’s a very, very good player, he helped us today and he’s helped us all season.
“He was very important and he got us through to the next round.”
Son led the attack in the absence of Harry Kane who was ruled out after picking up a knock against City.
The England striker is expected to be fit enough to make the trip to the Stadium of Light which could mean Son drops to the bench or operates in a deeper role.
The draw at City ended a run of six straight league victories that included the defeat of leaders Chelsea, and Pochettino will be well aware his side have to piece together another winning streak if they are to close the gap on Antonio Conte’s side.
Spurs are nine points behind the leaders, but are about to enter a run of 12 league games that throws up just one meeting – away at Liverpool – with one of the top six.
Kieran Trippier picked up a hip injury against Wycombe, and joins fellow defenders Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Danny Rose on the injury list.
Sunderland are rock bottom after failing to win in their last seven games as injuries begin to mount for David Moyes’s squad.
Eight players are currently unavailable in what has become the Wearside club’s fifth consecutive relegation fight.
Swedish midfielder Seb Larsson revealed: “Some days we walk out to train and we’ve only had eight or nine fit lads from the first team”.
Senegalese defender Papy Djilobodji starts a four-match suspension for a violent conduct charge, but Lamine Kone and Didier Ndong are back from Africa Cup of Nations duty.
Moyes remains confident of bringing in Bordeaux’s 26-year-old German fullback Diego Contento to replace Dutch defender Patrick van Aanholt, who has joined Crystal Palace. — AFP