Away To In-Form Villa, Arsenal’s Biggest Test So Far
Villa Park is the place to be on Saturday as figh-flying Aston Villa face table-topping Arsenal in a huge Premier League battle. The hosts are looking to bolster their prospects of a lucrative top-four finish, while the visitors cannot afford to slip up if they want to remain clear of the chasing pack. Don’t miss a moment of the action from 5:30 PM GMT.
Past Meetings
These two teams are old foes, and both teams have had spells of dominance in the head-to-head. Over the last 10 games, Arsenal have been on top with seven wins against three for Aston Villa. It’s some time since we last saw a draw between these two. The most recent game ended in a 4-2 Arsenal success.
Fortress Villa Park Hosts Rampant Gunners
Aston Villa have won the last seven games at home, climbing to fourth in the Premier League table. Unai Emery’s team is also going well in the Europa Conference League.
Aston Villa – Last 5 Games
- Aston Villa 1-0 Manchester City
- Bournemouth 2-2 Aston Villa
- Aston Villa 2-1 Legia Warszawa (UEFA Europa Conference League)
- Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa
- Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham
Arsenal have their own hot streak to enjoy. A stoppage-time goal from Declan Rice earned a thrilling 4-3 win at Luton in midweek, making it six victories in a row for the Gunners in all competitions.
Rice rises highest in the last-minute 😍
🔊 @_DeclanRice pic.twitter.com/riknsG06gL
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 6, 2023
Arsenal – Last 5 Games
- Luton 3-4 Arsenal
- Arsenal 2-1 Wolves
- Arsenal 6-0 Lens (UEFA Champions League)
- Brentford 0-1 Arsenal
- Arsenal 3-1 Burnley
Squad News
With both teams in midweek action, there will be injury updates closer to kick-off. Villa must contend with long-term absentees Tyrone Mings and Emilio Buendia, both struggling with knee injuries. For Arsenal, Tokehito Tomayasi is a doubt after taking a knock in the win over Wolves last Saturday, while Thomas Partey and Emile Smith-Rowe have long-term injuries. Fabio Vieira is suspended.
Prediction Time
This game looks too close to call, although the stats give Villa just a 10% chance of securing the three points. It might be worth looking at over 2.5 goals: that’s come in for every Villa home game this season, and all but one of them saw both teams on the scoresheet.
Match Conditions
The weather forecast suggests a dry, clear night in Birmingham. After a frosty week across much of England, temperatures are expected to rise to 8°C, with a moderate westerly breeze setting up perfect conditions for a night of cracking football.
