Arsenal host Swansea City as they look to extend an impressive 10-game unbeaten run in the Barclays Premier League. They will also be looking to catch up on second placed Manchester City, who sit three points above The Gunners with two more games played.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is looking to prove that they are ready to challenge for the title next season by keeping their positive momentum going. With the title already out of reach due to Chelsea winning the league after a 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace a week ago, Wenger's main aim will be to finish the season strongly.
"We feel we have made progress in our consistency, our quality and our stability," Wenger told Arsenal's club website. "That is what we want to continue and I believe it is important to finish as close as possible to Chelsea and come out of the season and think we are ready to challenge next season.
"It is difficult to know how strong every team will be next year but you gain as well your confidence from what you have achieved the year before and how you have moved forward. That is why it is very important that we continue to be consistent until the end of the season."
Meanwhile, Swansea have exceeded expectations this season. On 53 points in eighth-place, four points behind seventh placed Southampton, they have already broken their Premier League points tally under manager Garry Monk. Icelandic Midfielder Gylfi Sigurðsson has been a key part of his side's magnificent season with six goals and ten assists in the league so far.
"It's always nice to get into double figures for any statistic, so for me to get 10 assists is very pleasing," Sigurdsson told SwanseaCity.net "When I was younger I took more pride in scoring, but as I've got older I can appreciate setting up a goal far more. An assist means as much as a goal to me these days.
"This season I've had quality strikers in (Wilfried) Bony and Bafe (Gomis) in front of me, while we have the likes of Wayne (Routledge), Nathan (Dyer) and Jeff (Montero) out wide while Jonjo (Shelvey) and Ki (Sung-yueng) have also been around me, so it's easier to set goals up for players like them.
"They get into spaces and it's all about finding them and hoping they finish the chances. If they don't score then I don't get the assist, so I'm thankful to them for finding the net."
In terms of team news, Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck are huge doubts for this weekend's fixture while Debuchy remains out of contention. Club captain Mikel Arteta and England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also are unavailable.
As for the Swans, Spanish defender Jordi Amat is out for the rest of the season due to a broken metatarsal. Dwight Tiendalli and Jazz Richards, however, are both available after being recalled from their respective loan spells. Goalscorer in the reverse fixture, Bafetimbi Gomis may return, however Nelson Oliveira is out of contention due to an ankle injury.
Game Information:
Date: Monday 11th May 2015
Time: 20:00 BST
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Referee: Lee Probert
