2019-20 Premier League: Week Six – Arsenal vs Aston Villa

After a successful away trip aboard in midweek, Arsenal return to the Emirates Stadium as they take on Aston Villa.

Arsenal can climb into the top four with victory whilst Aston Villa can move out of the bottom three with at least one point. 

 

Team news

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Arsenal could be without Sead Kolasinac after the defender was subbed during their 3-0 midweek European win with a minor injury.

Konstantinos Mavropanos (fitness) and Alexandre Lacazette (ankle) are both ruled out for the Gunners.

Aston Villa have Trezeguet available after serving an one match ban whilst Matt Targett has overcome a hamstring injury.

James Chester (hamstring) and Jonathan Kodjia (cheekbone) however are both still sidelined for the Villains.

 

Form

Arsenal have drawn their last two league outings by 2-2 results but ran out 3-0 winners away to Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek Europa League action.

Villa have taken just four points from their five league matches so far, which include two away defeats which came against Arsenal’s fellow London clubs in Tottenham and Crystal Palace.

 

Stat Attack

• Arsenal have lost one of their last 12 meetings with Aston Villa in all competitions (W10, D1, L1).
• The Gunners have kept clean sheets in each of their last five clashes with Villa, whilst scoring 18 goals across those five games.
• Tyrone Mings has made 42 clearances for Villa this season, of which 21 were headed.
• Dani Ceballos and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are the only two Arsenal players to have made more than one assist in their opening five games.
• Villa’s John McGinn is one of six players to have made 20+ tackles so far this season.

 

Prediction

Neither team have so far been impressive defensively so this should be an interesting clash, although Villa will need to step it up if want to stop the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Granit Xhaka. 

I therefore am expecting Arsenal to be the more dominant team here but Villa will get their chances if can impose themselves like Watford did last weekend, although it will be in vein given their inferior record against the Gunners. 

Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Aston Villa

Result: Arsenal 3-2 Aston Villa