Post by officergroyman on Sept 21, 2009 20:20:00 GMT -1
LEAGUE CUP
Arsenal v West Brom
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Venue: Emirates Stadium Date: Tuesday, 22 September Kick-off: 1945 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC local radio & highlights on The League Cup Show
TEAM NEWS
Arsenal are expected to field a team mostly made up of youngsters.
The more senior players in contention for an appearance include defenders Philippe Senderos and Mikael Silvestre.
West Bromwich Albion could give a debut to versatile Chile international Gonzalo Jara, who can now play after receiving his visa.
But full-back Joe Mattock has been ruled out with an ankle injury and Chris Brunt will also miss the match as he is nursing a knee problem.
MATCH PREVIEW
Arsenal's youngsters get another chance to show what they can do as manager Arsene Wenger again uses the Carling Cup to introduce them to first-team football.
The young Gunners demolished Sheffield United 6-0 at this stage of last season's competition and the likes of Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere will be looking to make an impact this time around.
West Brom are top of the Championship and some of their play under manager Roberto Di Matteo has been in the Arsenal mould.
The Baggies stormed to a brilliant 5-0 victory at Middlesbrough on Saturday and could not be in better form ahead of their trip to north London. But Di Matteo has a problem at left-back, with Mattock out and Marek Cech already sidelined with an ankle problem.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Arsenal have beaten West Brom 60 times in all competitions. The Baggies have beaten Arsenal on 38 occasions and the clubs have drawn 28 times.
• Arsenal have won their last four meetings, including a 2-0 away victory in the third round of the League Cup three years ago.
• Albion last beat Arsenal in a cup competition when they knocked them out of the League Cup in 1969.
• They have not won at Arsenal for 26 years.
• This is the third time these clubs have been drawn together in the League Cup, and Albion are yet to score against Arsenal.
Arsenal
• Arsenal, the 1987 and 1993 winners, have reached at least the last eight in each of the last six seasons.
• They have not been knocked out in the third round since 2003, when Sunderland beat them.
• Arsene Wenger's team have a 100% home record this season, with three wins out of three.
West Bromwich Albion
• West Brom have only been beyond the third round once in five years, when they lost to Manchester United in the fourth round in November 2005.
• The 1966 winners need to score one more goal to take their all-time total in the competition to 250.
• Albion have not met a Premier League club in the Carling Cup since losing to Arsenal at this same stage three years ago.
• Roberto Di Matteo had not won a cup game as a manager before taking over as West Brom boss. MK Dons went out in the first round of all three of their cup competitions under him last season.
