Arsenal’s pursuit of a first Premier League title in two decades continues on Saturday late afternoon with a high-stakes home clash against top-four hopefuls Aston Villa. One of the standout fixtures of Matchday 22 pits two sides with identical returns from the last three league rounds against each other at the Emirates Stadium.
Fans using ExpressVPN to stream the action securely can anticipate a thrilling encounter between the two in-form sides. Arsenal head into proceedings in high spirits after overturning an early deficit in a 2-1 home victory against bitter North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.
After the game, Mikel Arteta hailed an ‘outstanding‘ come-from-behind derby win as Arsenal closed the gap on table-topping Liverpool to four points. However, the Reds have the game in hand, highlighting the magnitude of the Gunners’ task to bring home their first Premier League since 2024.
Confidence comes from Arsenal’s formidable 11-game unbeaten streak in top-flight action and remarkable form in North London. Indeed, Arteta’s men enter this round as the only Premier League side yet to taste defeat on home soil this season, winning seven of their ten league matches at the Emirates.
In search of more good omens, Arsenal toppled Villa 2-0 in August’s reverse fixture in Birmingham. That doesn’t mean the Londoners can take Unai Emery’s charges lightly, especially after winning just two of their last four Premier League meetings in the capital. Let’s not forget that Villa stunned the Gunners 2-0 in this corresponding match-up in 2023/24.
Villa will be out to enact revenge for August’s fiasco amid a rich vein of form. A narrow 1-0 win at Everton on their last domestic travel stretched the Lions’ winning streak to three competitive games, firing them within a two-point distance of fourth-placed Chelsea. Luckily for Arsenal, Villa’s road form has plummeted.
Before emerging victorious from an uneventful contest at Goodison Park, they had lost four consecutive Premier League outings outside Villa Park, netting just one goal while conceding at least two on each occasion. Scoring problems have forced the club’s hand in the transfer market, resulting in Donyell Malen’s arrival from Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of €25 million.
Match tickets
This match at The Emirates in London kicks off on Saturday, 18th January 2025, at 16:30 GMT.
The 60,704-capacity stadium is the place for this clash between the North London rivals.
Getting Arsenal v Aston Villa tickets could take a lot of work, given the standard of this game.
Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expectedly sold out on each club’s channels.
Team News
Line-ups
Villa’s dreadful scoring form on the road must be music to Arsenal’s ears, especially as Arteta cannot count on Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu. However, injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus have diminished the Gunners’ firepower, raising questions over the club’s passive approach in the transfer window.
There’s no doubt Arsenal must intervene to address a slipping goalscoring form. Ethan Nwaneri’s absence is another reason the Gunners should add another forward to Arteta’s depleted frontline.
Arsenal XI: David Raya; Jurien Timber, Gabriel, William Saliba, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Thomas Partey; Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard.
Villa will take this trip without defensive stalwarts Diego Carlos and Pau Torres. Veteran midfielder Ross Barkley is also out. Yet, John McGinn’s absence due to a thigh injury is arguably the most significant shortcoming. Despite this injury crisis, Emery can still rely on Ollie Watkins to deliver the goods in front of goal.
Aston Villa XI: Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne; Andre Onana, Boubacar Kamara; Jacob Ramsey, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers; Ollie Watkins.
Prediction
The last three Premier League encounters between Arsenal and Villa have seen the winner on the day keep a clean sheet, highlighting the importance of drawing first blood. That’s good news for the Gunners, considering they’ve opened the scoring in 70 percent of their home league matches this season.
Arsenal’s chances of taking an all-important three points only increase when factoring in Villa’s erratic scoring form on hostile turf, leading to one conclusion. The hosts are well-positioned to maintain their title charge with another high-profile win.
Arsenal 2-0 Aston Villa
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