Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Wales Sport at Emirates Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

"A brisk start to the game has made for a lively atmosphere at the Emirates. Arsenal's run of nine wins and a draw from their last 10 matches means their fans are in chipper mood, while Swansea have sold out all 3,000 of their tickets in a noisy corner behind their goal.

"The visitors are undoubtedly underdogs tonight but, as their supporters were happy to remind anyone who would listen before tonight's match, one of their finest away days came at the Emirates.

"Two goals from Michu - remember him? - gave Swansea a memorable 2-0 win here in December 2012."

MirrorImages: Chelsea, because they're this season's champions and because of the way they've been this season (impressive).

Ulysses Salmon: Chelsea or City. United & L'pool to fight for 4th. Arsenal in either group depending on whether they buy proper or mess it up.

Such is Arsenal's dominance of possession, defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin is stationed in the middle of the Swansea half. The visitors are hoping to catch the Gunners on the break through Jefferson Montero and Nathan Dyer.

Arsenal are being allowed to pop the ball about at will. There's just no pressing from Swansea, who break a sequence of 25 or so straight Arsenal passes when Jack Cork cuts out a ball down the middle.

Six Arsenal players are yet to give away the ball, while seven Swansea players have made just one pass each. Make of that what you will.

The heat maps below show where players have had possession for each team - Arsenal on the left, Swansea on the right.

Image source, Getty Images

Ashley Williams comes off second best in a 50-50 challenge with Olivier Giroud. He limps to the sidelines and throws a couple of pills down the hatch. Paracetamol, most likely. Looks like he'll soldier on.

Ten minutes in, here's what the number crunchers make of it all...

Image source, Opta

Image source, Getty Images

Jonjo Shelvey's scored a few corkers in his time and he's not afraid to try his luck from 45 yards out, but this time his lobbed effort is not on target. I'd wager that David Ospina had it covered anyway.

No goals here yet - but what a game in the League One play-off semi-final second leg!

Nineteen minutes gone and there have been FOUR goals. Swindon raced into a 3-0 lead, but Sheffield United have just hit back to make it 3-1 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate.

You can follow minute-by-minute coverage of that game here.

DrKip: Chelsea or Man U to win next season. Like Liverpool, Arsenal will always be pretenders to the throne.

Will: Southampton. Koeman will work magic again in summer and take saints to the next level.

Image source, Getty Images

Jefferson Montero gave Arsenal the runaround in the reverse fixture at the Liberty and he stretches his legs down that left flank early on but ends up running down a cul-de-sac when others fail to get forward in support.

An early chance for Arsenal when Aaron Ramsey chips a ball across the box but Olivier Giroud heads over.

Steve Claridge
BBC Sport

"Looking at it in the early stages, I'm not how much Swansea have come to win this game."

There's a lot of empty seats inside the Emirates early on. Have a few given this fixture a swerve? A nice, lazy evening in the garden instead? There's nothing lazy about Jonjo Shelvey's early thunderous challenge on Alexis Sanchez. That's a 'I'm here and mean business' type of tackle.

Steve Claridge
BBC Sport

"There is improvement from Arsenal and there is a way forward. It's been a long time coming, but there's finally something for people to hang their hats on. A Cup final and finishing second would be a good season, an improvement. People aren't asking them to win everything, but to be serious contenders."

Arsene Wenger - suit on, hair nicely trimmed - surveys the scene next to a track-suited and gum-chewing Steve Bould. Match under way.

Let's rock and roll then. Should be a decent game this - two teams who play decent football free from the shackles of anything other than an end-of-season flourish.

More from Arsene Wenger: "I believe it's important that we finish as close as possible to Chelsea. That's the target. It's difficult to know how strong each team will be next season. That's why it's important we are consistent from now to the end of the season."

Swansea manager Garry Monk, speaking to Sky Sports: "I told the group my ambitions at the start of the season and part of that target was to beat our points tally. The door is still open for more and that's what we'll try to do.

"Tonight we have to be very good defensively but we will also try to play. We need to try to impose our game on Arsenal."

The two teams line up side by side in the spacious Emirates tunnel. They stride out to the sound of pleasant applause, Jonjo Shelvey pointing to somebody or something in the crowd. "Look, there's my Dad."