Norwich City Vs Arsenal
Norwich City Vs Arsenal Sunday, 26 December 2021 – 15:00 (GMT)
English Premier League
Pick: Arsenal WIN & UNDER 3.5 GOALS
Odds: 10/11
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 24 December 2021)
Preview: After three straight league wins, Arsenal start as clear favourites to consign bottom side Norwich City to their fourth consecutive loss – this despite the Gunners emerging victorious from only one of their past four visits to Carrow Road.
English Premier League Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
Norwich City – Bottom at Christmas and going nowhere fast?
The Canaries had the dubious honour of spending Christmas bottom of the Premier League. Manager Dean Smith, who started his tenure in Norfolk positively by collecting five points in the first three matches but has since lost three consecutively without scoring, won’t be overly enthused to read that only three teams in the history of the competition have avoided relegation after beginning Boxing Day bottom of the table.
Those recent blanks mean Norwich are out on their own in one particular category, though. That being the most amount of league games played this season without scoring, now up to eleven. In all, this team fails to find the back of the net 64% of the time, which is an alarming statistic even before taking into account that only three teams – the current top three in the table – have more clean sheets than Arsenal.
Meanwhile, no team in top-flight history has had as few as eight goals heading into Christmas. All of which suggests another long afternoon awaits for the Carrow Road faithful. Norwich have scored in four of nine Premier League home games thus far (W1 D2 L6) but in none of the most recent three, while the only time they netted more than once came in their sole win in front of their fans this season (2-1 vs Southampton).
Arsenal – More Boxing Day joy for Gunners?
Another excellent all round display means Arsenal are setting out to achieve a small feat. That being winning their fourth Premier League game on the spin, having twice put themselves in this position this season only to fall short. The Gunners carried the momentum over from fine wins against Southampton (3-0) and West Ham (2-0) by putting Leeds to the sword at Elland Road last time, romping to a 4-1 victory.
Aaron Ramsdale will have been disappointed, though, to see a third straight clean sheet elude him. That it took a Raphinha penalty to do so once more highlights how resolute this Arsenal rearguard has become under Mikel Arteta. Eight teams may have conceded fewer goals in total this season, however, only Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City boast more clean sheets than their eight going into Boxing Day.
Securing a fourth consecutive win is boosted by Arteta’s men facing not only statistically the worst team in the division, but a fine record on this particular day. Arsenal boast a 60% win ratio when playing on Boxing Day (W14 D7 L2), compared to Norwich winning none of seven such fixtures (D1 L6). Look out for Gabriel Martinelli as well, the Brazilian directly involved in six goals in his last six league appearances.
Don’t miss out on other Betting Tips & Predictions
Click here for more Betting Tips
Norwich City Vs Arsenal Betting Advice
In terms of plum fixtures, this is it for Arsenal who are bidding to win four successive games in the competition for the first time since the end of last season. Their record at Carrow Road, certainly in recent times, does leave a lot to be desired, though. The Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw on their last visit, in December 2019, and have now won only once across their previous four visits (D3) going back to 2012.
Norwich City Vs Arsenal – Key Facts:
- No club has featured more often on Boxing Day without ever winning a Premier League fixture than Norwich (D1 L6). Whereas Arsenal have won 14 of their 23 matches (D7 L2) on this day.
- Arsenal are seeking their fourth successive league victory against a Norwich side which has failed to win in its past five matches, losing each of the last three without scoring.
- Three of the last four Arsenal away league games produced four or more goals. However, only one of Norwich’s nine home league games this season went Over 3.5 Goals.
Taking the form of both teams into consideration, however, it is very difficult envisaging anything other than a routine win for the away side. Arsenal are in terrific form. They have won their last three league games, scoring eight and conceding once – a penalty. Meanwhile, Norwich are coming off three consecutive defeats to nil, scoring just one goal across their past five fixtures since beating Southampton 2-1 here in November.
Best Betting Odds – Norwich City Vs Arsenal
Norwich City – 7/1 (BetVictor)
Draw – 10/3 (Coral)
Arsenal – 4/9 (BetFred)
