Next Up, Middlesbrough

The hangover from Wednesday is now, thankfully, firmly in the past. Time to turn our attention to Middlesbrough in the Premiership Plus encounter on Saturday.

Hopefully the ‘it’s 5.15 in the north on Saturday so Arsenal will lose’ jinx is a thing of the past following the magnificent cup triumph at Anfield.

That said, there is a touch of the ‘Boltons’ about Boro at the moment. Unbeaten in seven starts, Gareth Southgate’s boys got a one-one draw at the Emirates earlier in the season, and our last trip to the Riverside ended in a two-one reverse. That was though a rare defeat in this fixture for the Gunners who have won on six of their last eight visits.

Arsenal have few selection problems, as basically the only eleven who are fit will play! From a position a couple of weeks ago when we thought everybody was coming back from the treatment table the list now makes painful reading again.

Ljungberg, Gallas, Van Persie, Hleb, Diaby and Baptista are all definitely out, Eboue and Adebayor apparently have to undergo late fitness tests, which suggests they are doubtful. That means the only poser for Wenger could be a 4-5-1 with Denilson starting after playing a full two hours against Tottenham, or a 4-4-2 with Aliadiere partnering Captain Henry in the front line.

We will all be sorry to see the back of January which brought us six wins and two draws from eight fixtures in three competitions. February is a strange month and Boro is the first of only two Premiership fixtures scheduled, yet another unbeaten month could see us lift the Carling Cup, added to progress in the Champions League and FA Cups.

The mouthwatering, if unlikely, prospect of an undefeated second half of the season is one reason for my confident prediction that we will emerge from tomorrow with all three points. However, only a couple of pennies will be ventured on a 2-0 away win.

Experience tells me half of you will not be logging back in until Monday, so whatever you have planned, I wish you a happy weekend, fellow ‘holics. Up the Gunners!