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Preview:Burnley vs Arsenal – prediction, team news, lineups
Trekking to a ground where they have never lost in the Premier League, an Arsenal side who can do no wrong visit Burnley in Saturday’s top-flight battle at Turf Moor.
Mikel Arteta’s men have secured an excellent eight wins on the spin in all competitions, but the Clarets also have reason to celebrate after back-to-back triumphs.
Match preview
Rewriting the history books once again on Wednesday evening, a juvenile, second-string Arsenal side were predicted to be given a rough ride by EFL Cup fourth-round opponents Brighton & Hove Albion, who had struck a tremendous 12 goals in the tournament’s first two rounds.
However, in keeping with the theme of the Gunners’ stellar season so far, Arteta’s men kept their customary clean sheet – despite some promising openings from the Seagulls – and struck twice in open play through Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka in a 2-0 victory.
October was anything but a Halloween horror show for Arsenal, who in midweek set a new English football record by becoming the first top-flight team to play six games in a single month and not concede one goal in any of them – a testament to their well-documented defensive majesty.
That streak includes an Eberechi Eze-inspired 1-0 triumph over Crystal Palace last weekend, where a near-perfect gameweek also saw Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea lose while Arsenal opened up a four-point lead at the Premier League summit.
The visitors can now win four top-flight games in a row without conceding for the first time since Arteta’s playing days in 2014, and the Burnley faithful will not be best pleased to learn that Arsenal have won each of their last 13 Premier League matches against newly-promoted teams.

In fact, the Gunners have been bested just once in their last 24 Premier League matches against teams to have competed in the Championship the previous season – that solitary loss came against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in May 2023.
Furthermore, not since 1973 have Arsenal suffered defeat in a league match away to Burnley, who did claim a 2008 EFL Cup win at home to a youthful Gunners side but were most recently slaughtered 5-0 in 2024.
Head-to-head history is not always a solid indicator of future performance, though, and Scott Parker’s Burnley are bouncing at this moment in time, having taken down Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United in the last two Premier League gameweeks.
The Clarets’ absorbing 3-2 success over Wolves last time out lifted them five points clear of the relegation zone and also prolonged a pleasing attacking sequence for the hosts, who have scored in each of their last six games in all tournaments.
The only team to prevent Burnley from registering at Turf Moor this season so far was reigning champions Liverpool, but the Clarets must match a 50-year feat if they are to defy the rankings this weekend – they have not claimed a top-flight win against the team starting the day in first place since 1975.
Burnley Premier League form:
L
D
L
L
W
W
Burnley form (all competitions):
D
L
L
L
W
W
Arsenal Premier League form:
W
D
W
W
W
W
Arsenal form (all competitions):
W
W
W
W
W
W
Team News

Arsenal sustained no fresh concerns in their midweek win over Brighton, but their success over Palace last weekend came at a cost, as Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori, William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli picked up unspecified issues.
Rice and Calafiori shook off their concerns relatively quickly, but Saliba and Martinelli remain major doubts for Saturday’s fixture – the latter is feared to have suffered a muscular problem, so a start for Leandro Trossard is virtually guaranteed.
Knee quartet Gabriel Jesus, Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz are not expected to return this side of the international break, but the latter three could be back in time for the North London derby next month.
On Burnley’s end, Lesley Ugochukwu was a late enforced change in the five-goal thriller with Wolves, but there are no serious concerns about the midfielder’s availability for Saturday.
However, Jordan Beyer (hamstring), Zeki Amdouni (knee) and Connor Roberts (knee) remain in the treatment room, and none of the trio is expected back before the end of the calendar year.
Provider of two assists at Molineux, left-back Quilindschy Hartman has now set up four goals in the Premier League so far this season, although all of his contributions have come on the road.
Burnley possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Walker, Tuanzebe, Esteve, Hartman; Florentino, Cullen; Bruun Larsen, Ugochukwu, Anthony; Flemming
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Eze, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard
We say: Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Injuries may still be biting Arteta’s men as the cold weather begins to bite, but the Spaniard’s big-hitters are well-rested, well-oiled and still impenetrable at the back.
Burnley’s penchant for goals will surely prove powerless against the leaders’ rearguard, and via set-pieces or open play, the Gunners should score more than once en route to consecutive win number nine.
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Arsenal are expected to rotate when they travel to take on Portsmouth in the FA Cup.
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That could mean a first start for Eberechi Eze since the Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace last month, while Noni Madueke is also in contention to come into the side.
Arsenal hope to have Kai Havertz in the squad but he is not believed to be ready to start, so Gabriel Jesus will likely lead the line unless Arteta opts to keep trying to play Viktor Gyokeres into form.
The Gunners will again be without Riccardo Calafiori, with Arteta confirming that this match will be “too early” for him.
Piero Hincapie is also a major doubt, having gone off against Liverpool with a suspected hamstring injury. He was due to undergo scans on Friday.
“We have to see the extent of what happened to Piero,” Arteta said.
“He could not carry on in the second half, so I don’t know exactly what it is.”
That leaves Myles Lewis-Skelly as the obvious starter at left-back and there could be an opportunity for 16-year-old Marli Salmon if Arteta decides to rest one of Gabriel or William Saliba.
Kepa will start in goal, as he has been doing in the Carabao Cup, and the likes of Christian Norgaard and Mikel Merino are options in midfield.
Ethan Nwaneri will hope for some minutes, even off the bench. He has not featured since the win over Club Brugge a month ago.
Predicted Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Kepa; White, Saliba, Salmon, Lewis-Skelly; Norgaard, Merino, Eze; Madueke, Jesus, Martinelli
Injured: Calafiori, Mosquera, Dowman
Doubts: Hincapie, Havertz
Time and date: 2pm GMT on Sunday, January 11, 2026
How to watch: TNT Sports
Venue: Fratton Park
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Arsenal injury, suspension list and return dates vs. Portsmouth: Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera latest
Arsenal will begin their bid to win the FA Cup for the 15th time in their history when they travel to Fratton Park for Sunday’s meeting with Championship strugglers Portsmouth.
The Gunners missed the chance to further extend their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table in Thursday’s underwhelming goalless draw against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
While their five-game winning league run came to an end, Mikel Arteta will be pleased with the fact that his side are now unbeaten in seven competitive matches ahead of Sunday’s cup tie and Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Arsenal’s latest injury and suspension news ahead of the clash with Portsmouth, who are languishing in 21st spot in the Championship standings.
Piero Hincapie
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Hincapie was forced off with what appeared to be a muscle problem in the 57th minute of Thursday’s draw with Liverpool. Arteta now faces a nervous wait to discover the full extent of the defender’s injury.
Kai Havertz
Status: Minor doubt
Type of injury: Match fitness
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Havertz has recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of action for months. However, he has been left out of Arsenal’s last two matchday squads as he continues to build up his fitness. There is a possibility that the forward could make his first appearance since August in Sunday’s FA Cup clash.
Riccardo Calafiori
Status: Out
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Calafiori has sat out Arsenal’s last four matches with a muscle injury. The defender is making progress in his recovery, but he is not expected to be ready for the upcoming trip to the south coast.
Cristhian Mosquera
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Like Calafiori, Mosquera is closing in on a return to action after missing over a month of action due to an ankle injury. However, the former Valencia defender will not be available for selection this weekend.
Max Dowman
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: Unknown
Max Dowman is likely to be out until February after sustaining an ankle problem while playing for Arsenal Under-21s in last month’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United.
ARSENAL’S SUSPENSION LIST
Arsenal have no players suspended for the third-round tie.
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Whether or not the right players are out there remains to be seen, but with Arteta enduring several injury blows already this season – particularly in defence – the manager will be keeping a close eye on potential targets.
The Gunners splashed the cash in the summer, bringing in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera to the Emirates Stadium – so a loan deal might favour the club
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There could also be high-profile exits, both loans and permanent deals, with young midfield talent Ethan Nwaneri linked with an exit. Other youngsters could also make loan moves to get a taste of first-team football.
With that said, football.london takes a closer look at all the moves completed by Arsenal so far this January.
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