Aston Villa v Arsenal | 2022/23 PL | Team News, Injuries and Line-up

Let’s look at the team news as Arsenal travel to Aston Villa today after their pursuit of the Premier League title suffered a blow on Wednesday with a 3-1 loss to Manchester City. A win is required to restore their three-point lead at the top of the table, ahead of City’s game with Nottingham Forest.

Despite the Gunners’ recent loss, Unai Emery, the former Arsenal manager who led them to the Europa League final and fifth place in the Premier League before being sacked in 2019, has confidence in their ability to win their first title since 2004. According to Emery, Arsenal is “a really good team in a very good moment,” and recent matches will not shake their confidence.

Unai Emery, Mikel Arteta, Aston Villa, Arsenal — Image Obtained via talkSPORT

Although Arsenal have won 86 of the 200 games played between the two teams, Aston Villa do also have a good record of 69 wins. The hosts were defeated 4-2 by Leicester City in their previous game at Villa Park, but they have not lost two consecutive league games at home since April last year.

Injury/Suspension List:

Diego Carlos is making progress in his recovery from the Achilles surgery, but is not yet ready to step on the field for the Villans while Jed Steer is also working on his return from a calf injury. Tyrone Mings is back in the lineup with Lucas Digne making way for Alex Moreno.

Meanwhile, the Gunners are without Thomas Partey due to a muscle injury, although it is a precautionary measure, and there is hope he may be available for their next game. Mohamed Elneny and Gabriel Jesus are still recovering from knee surgeries. Emile Smith Rowe returns to the squad after a thigh injury.

Player To Watch Out For – Ollie Watkins

Ollie Watkins is a highly talented English striker who currently plays for Aston Villa. The 25-year-old has been in impressive form since his move to Villa Park from Brentford in the summer of 2020.

One of Watkins’ key attributes is his ability to hold up the ball and bring his teammates into play. He has excellent strength and uses his body well to shield the ball from opposition defenders. This allows Villa to build attacks from the back, with the striker acting as the focal point for the team’s forward play.

The English forwards’s work rate and pressing ability also make him an important part of team’s defensive structure. He puts pressure on opposition defenders and makes it difficult for them to play out from the back, which often leads to turnovers and scoring opportunities for his team.

Overall, Ollie Watkins is a versatile and talented striker who has already established himself as a key player for Aston Villa. His combination of physicality, technical ability, and work rate make him a difficult player for opposition teams to deal with and a valuable asset for his own team.

Arsenal Form:

WWLDL

Aston Villa Form:

DWWLL

Arsenal Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Aaron Ramsdale (GK); Ben White (RB), William Saliba (CB), Gabriel (CB), Oleksandr Zinchenko (LB); Granit Xhaka (CM), Jorginho (CM); Bukayo Saka (RW), Martin Odegaard (CAM), Leandro Trossard (LW); Eddie Nketiah (ST).

Predicted Score: Aston Villa 0-3 Arsenal

In recent weeks, Arsenal have been on a slight slump, and they cannot afford another poor result in their upcoming fixture against Aston Villa. While the hosts can be a formidable team on their day, they have been defensively weak in recent matches. This match presents a perfect opportunity for Emery to go head-to-head against his former club and come up with a surprise victory.

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