Arsenal's triumph over Manchester City, their first in 13 meetings under Unai Emery against Pep Guardiola, showcased dominance in all aspects of the game, with Bailey's deflected strike securing a memorable victory. Aston Villa, buoyed by this 14th consecutive Premier League home win, now stands in third place, just two points behind Liverpool and four points ahead of upcoming opponents Arsenal.
Despite a resounding 4-3 victory over Luton Town, Arsenal's defense faced challenges, ending a 10-game run without a clean sheet. With Villa posing a sterner test, the Gunners aim to maintain their winning streak.
As the Lions pursue a new club record with a potential 15th straight win this season, Arsenal, aware of Liverpool's early game against Crystal Palace, could see their lead at the top of the table challenged. Villa Park, where no Premier League team has defeated Aston Villa since February, sets the stage for a captivating showdown, recalling Arsenal's 4-2 comeback win on that memorable day.
The Gunners, known for late comebacks and currently enjoying a six-match winning streak, aim to spoil the Villa Park party once again. The upcoming clash promises to be a thrilling encounter between two formidable teams.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
After causing continuous trouble for the struggling Citizens' defense, Bailey's efforts took a toll as he left the field showing signs of weariness. The question remains whether the Jamaica international will be deemed fit to start against the league leaders.Fortunately for Emery, he can turn to an equally formidable replacement in Moussa Diaby, a former target of Arsenal. However, Bertrand Traore (muscle), Emiliano Buendia (knee), and Tyrone Mings (knee) will be unavailable for Saturday's match.
Matty Cash was also left out of the starting lineup against Man City, and Emery is likely to maintain his defensive strategy that proved effective against the champions midweek.
The potential threat of Diaby and/or Bailey challenging the Arsenal backline has raised concerns among fans, especially with the absence of the injured Takehiro Tomiyasu, who will be out for "a while" due to a calf injury sustained in the previous weekend's match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Tomiyasu joins the list of sidelined players, including Emile Smith Rowe (knee), Fabio Vieira (groin), Thomas Partey (thigh), and Jurrien Timber (knee). This opens the door for Ben White to make a case for regular starts. In addition to the injury concerns, Arsenal faces a significant suspension setback.
Mikel Arteta received his third yellow card of the season in the Luton victory, reportedly for "excessively celebrating" Rice's injury-time winner. Consequently, Arteta will not be on the touchline at Villa Park this weekend, with Albert Stuivenberg taking on temporary managerial duties.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Diaby, Luiz, Kamara, McGinn; Tielemans; Watkins
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
EXPERT PREDICTION
Aston Villa 1-1 Arsenal
David Raya's two errors made Arsenal's recent game more tense than necessary. As Villa aims to break their losing streak against the Arteta-less Gunners, a 15th consecutive Premier League home win might be challenging. The prediction leans toward an entertaining draw, suggesting that both teams could share the spoils in this matchup.
