Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Unai vs Mikel.. once again. A battle for the ages that means a lot to Arsenal fans for the bitter taste left in the mouth last year. A 2-0 and 1 – 0 defeat to Emery’s Aston Villa cost us the league. Revenge is a must.
Predicted XI:
Mikel had it right with this starting lineup on game week 1. The only change I would suggest is Zinchenko. The man is not good enough as a defender at all. He is a liability, prone to switching off mentally and resulting in us being punished on the counter. Something which Villa are very very good at these days.
The only way to truly counter this, is to have a quality Left Back, who can also pass just as good and also defend. That is Jurrien Timber. The short cameo appearance he provided us against Wolves was superb, it was a reminder of his quality and a reminder why he should be a starter!
Whilst Timber is the only change I’d suggest. Mikel needs to add a sense of urgency to his mens play. They were lackluster in the 2nd half and invited pressure. This cannot be the case on Saturday.
Clinical Kai, Starboy Saka and Magic Martin all need to be on top form to get us a win. We need quick passages of play, triangles on the left and the right. The typical Ben White overlaps may not be enough to get us a win.
The same must happen on the left hand side, we need a much stronger performance from Martinelli, I think the key to unlocking him once more is Timber. Overlapping on the left or drifting inside to allow Rice to interplay with Martinelli, Timber opens us to create more chances and be more lethal!
Key stats:
Villa may have cost Arsenal the Premier League title last season with their two victories over the Gunners, but Mikel Arteta’s side had won the previous four meetings between the two clubs. Arteta has a troublesome record against Emery, but he did win the first Premier League duel between the pair – a dramatic 4-2 win at Villa Park in February 2023.
Predictions:
Arsenal’s performance last weekend lacked urgency, but they narrowly avoided a loss thanks to Bukayo Saka’s decisive goal against an improving Wolves team. The Gunners deliberately ceded control in the second half and focused on counter-attacks, which ultimately proved successful.
Arsenal’s ability to control the game will be crucial in Saturday’s challenging match, as they aim to make a statement and secure a vital three points. We know they are capable of performing well in big matches, and facing Villa early in the season could be advantageous for them. If Arsenal are efficient in front of goal, I believe they can win this match away from home.
- Scoreline: Aston Villa 1 – Arsenal 2
- POTM: Declan Rice
- Suggested Bet: Both Teams to Score: YES & Both Teams to be Carded: YES
Written by Reekesh Somaroo
For Art of Analysis