Aston Villa vs Arsenal preview, team news and prediction

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This weekend's Premier League action kicks off with a highly anticipated clash between league leaders Arsenal and third-placed Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime. The Gunners preserved their commanding position at the top of the table in midweek, defeating Brentford 2-0, while Unai Emery’s side staged a dramatic comeback in a thrilling seven-goal encounter against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews, much like his predecessor Thomas Frank, opted for a defensive setup at the Emirates, hoping to absorb pressure and strike on the counter. However, this approach quickly unravelled when Mikel Merino headed home an early goal for Arsenal. Although the Gunners faced increased pressure as the second half wore on, their defence—missing both Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba—held firm until Bukayo Saka sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal.

Manchester City’s remarkable 5-4 victory over Fulham the previous evening had briefly closed the gap at the top, but Arsenal’s 10th win of the season has restored their five-point cushion in the Premier League. Notably, Arsenal remain the only team in the division yet to concede 10 goals, having allowed just seven so far, and Wednesday’s clean sheet was their first in five matches across all competitions.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, have enjoyed a stunning turnaround since their early-season struggles, climbing to third in the table and putting Champions League qualification within their grasp. Emery’s men showcased their resilience with a sensational 4-3 win at Brighton, overturning a two-goal deficit with four unanswered strikes before the hosts managed a late consolation. Villa’s rise was further aided by Chelsea’s unexpected defeat to Leeds United, allowing the Lions to leapfrog the Blues into third place—six points behind Arsenal and just one behind Manchester City.

Villa’s triumph on the South Coast marked their sixth consecutive victory in all competitions and their fourth straight Premier League win, extending their impressive run at Villa Park.

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With the game kicking off at 12:30pm, UK audiences can watch the match from Villa Park live on TNT Sport. The coverage starts from 11:30am.

This will be the 206th meeting between the two clubs with Arsenal having the upperhand in the fixture with 88 wins to Villa's 71 along with 46 draws.

Villa will be looking to make the most of home advantage but failed to do so last season with the Gunners leaving with all three points thanks to a 2-0 win after Leandro Trossard gave the visitors the lead.

However, Villa have had some fortune in this fixture before with Unai Emery guiding the club to a league double in the 2023/24 season winning 1-0 at home with captain John McGinn securing all three points early on.

Meanwhile, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta meet for the eighth time with the former Gunners boss having the slight advantage with three wins to Arteta's two along with two draws.

Arsenal’s victory on Wednesday evening came at a cost, with Cristhian Mosquera sustaining an injury—believed to be either to his knee or ankle, though the exact details remain unclear—in the first half. Declan Rice was also forced off with a calf issue, but reassured reporters after the match that he was "fine," suggesting Mikel Arteta should have his record signing available for the weekend.

However, Mosquera now joins William Saliba (knock) and Leandro Trossard (muscle) on the list of doubts. Mosquera’s absence could leave Arteta without as many as three central defenders, as Gabriel Magalhaes (thigh) is not expected back before Christmas, though Jurrien Timber stands ready as a reliable alternative. Meanwhile, Kai Havertz has suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee injury and is now racing against time to return before the festive period.

On Aston Villa’s side, former Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was a late scratch from the squad to face Brighton due to a back problem, and Unai Emery has indicated his first-choice keeper is unlikely to feature this weekend. Ross Barkley (knee) and Tyrone Mings (thigh) are also sidelined until at least the end of the year, but otherwise, the home team is in good shape ahead of the league leaders’ visit.

After Donyell Malen netted his fourth Premier League goal of the season from the bench on Wednesday, the ex-Arsenal youth player may be eyeing Evann Guessand’s starting spot, though he will face stiff competition from set-piece specialist Emiliano Buendia.

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