Arsenal entertain West Ham on Wednesday evening looking to reinforce their championship ambitions with another three points. Standing in their way will be West Ham, who have moved up to seventh in the table in recent weeks, after an impressive run under new boss Glenn Roeder.
One of the key battles in the match will be between two French strikers who are the focal points of their respective teams' attacks.
Thierry Henry has already posted his best return in an Arsenal shirt by scoring 22 Premiership goals and he will be keen to add to that tally in his quest to win the Golden Boot. While the Hammers' Frederic Kanoute has accrued just half of Henry's tally, it is well worth the Gunners noting that he has achieved that tally with around half as many chances - meaning the former Lyon striker has been almost as clinical as the Gunners' own French star.
When you also consider that Kanoute does not take penalties, while his countryman is Arsenal's usual spot-kick expert, the West Ham player's stats are even more impressive.
The two are also very similar in other areas. Both players have registered a 65% pass completion rate, which illustrates that neither is afraid to try the more difficult pass, which can often be intercepted.
The statistics show that Arsenal are likely to create more chances than their opponents and that Henry will have a good chance of ending a barren run at Highbury that has seen him score in just one Premiership home game since the brace he netted against Aston Villa in December.
Kanoute has scored just twice away from home this season, but Arsenal are well aware of the threat posed by the Hammer, who bagged the opening goal when the two sides met at Upton Park.
While Henry is sure of his place in France's World Cup squad, Kanoute will see this as an opportunity to remind Roger Lemerre of his claims to international recognition and the Gunners will have to be at their best to snuff out this potent threat.
Rob Bateman