Arsenal welcomes Aston Villa to North London this Saturday evening for a crucial Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal comes into this match with the momentum of a North London Derby victory behind them. Their win against Tottenham on Wednesday closed the gap to league leaders Liverpool to four points. Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping for another strong performance to maintain their title chase.
Aston Villa proved to be a tough opponent for the Gunners last season, completing a league double over them and dealing a major blow to their title aspirations. However, Arsenal avenged those losses earlier this season with a 2-0 victory at Villa Park.
Match Details:
Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025Kick-off Time: 17:30 BSTVenue: Emirates Stadium, LondonReferee: Chris Kavanagh
Head-to-Head Record:
24 August 2024: Aston Villa 0-2 Arsenal (Premier League)
14 April 2024: Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa (Premier League)
9 December 2023: Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal (Premier League)
18 February 2023: Aston Villa 2-4 Arsenal (Premier League)
31 August 2022: Arsenal 2-1 Aston Villa (Premier League)
Where to Watch:
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. Fans can also stream it via Sky GO, NOW TV, and Sky GO Extra. In the US, coverage is available on Peacock, FuboTV, UNIVERSO, and NBC, while Fubo Sports Network will stream it in Canada.
Arsenal Team News:
Arsenal is dealing with multiple injuries, with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, and Ethan Nwaneri all unavailable. Ben White could return to training soon, but Takehiro Tomiyasu remains sidelined. Riccardo Calafiori has the best chance of making a comeback after missing the last two matches due to a muscle injury.
Youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly is expected to retain his spot at left-back, while Leandro Trossard could join Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz in the attack.
Predicted Arsenal lineup: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard.
Aston Villa Team News:
Unai Emery’s team will be without key players John McGinn and Pau Torres due to hamstring and foot injuries, respectively. Diego Carlos also missed the last game against Everton and is linked with a move away. Ross Barkley is sidelined with a calf injury.
Jhon Duran, returning from suspension, was an unused substitute in the last match. Leon Bailey and Ian Maatsen are pushing for starts, especially after Emery made just one substitution against Everton.
Predicted Aston Villa lineup: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Kamara, Onana, Tielemans; Bailey, Watkins, Rogers.
Score Prediction:
Arsenal is showing signs of improvement but remains inconsistent in attack due to key absences. Their victory over Tottenham was a significant boost, and a lively Emirates crowd should help them push for another win. However, Aston Villa has the potential to hurt them on the counterattack, just as they did last season.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Aston Villa
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