
There is renewed hope for Arsenal in the title race, as back-to-back draws for Liverpool have allowed the Gunners to reduce the gap at the top to four points. They mustn’t slip against Aston Villa, whose win at the Emirates last season ultimately proved decisive.
The Gunners had to come from behind to edge out a Tottenham Hotspur side that gifted them multiple opportunities. Still, despite their continued problems converting chances, Mikel Arteta’s side did enough to secure the three points.
Arsenal did what Liverpool couldn’t in midweek. They both conceded the opener but while the Reds rallied in the second half at Nottingham Forest, they could only achieve a draw, which was music to the ears of Gunners fans.
Having capitalised on the leaders’ slipup, Arsenal are now their chief threat despite long-term injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus. Saturday will come too soon for Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu, but Riccardo Calafiori may be available following a knee issue.
Aston Villa haven’t quite been the force they were last term, but back-to-back league victories have put them level on points with Manchester City and only two behind Chelsea who before Christmas looked like serious title challengers.
A top-four berth is by no means out of the question for Unai Emery’s team, but their away performances will need to improve. The success at Everton on Wednesday was a good start as it brought an end to a five-game losing streak on the road in the league.
Ollie Watkins found the breakthrough at Goodison Park and looks to be coming into some form. He has registered four goal contributions in as many matches in all competitions.
This fixture nine months ago is one that Arsenal supporters won’t want to be reminded of. Liverpool had just suffered a shock defeat by Crystal Palace, handing the Gunners the chance to take control of the title race.
Former Arsenal boss Emery and Villa had other ideas, as they shut out an edgy Gunners side, winning 2-0 and swinging the pendulum towards eventual champions Man City.
Arsenal won all six of their remaining games after that loss, but the damage had been done. There was no margin for error then, and given the four-point gap now to Liverpool who have a game in hand, a similar result here would be equally disastrous.
Arsenal vs Aston Villa is a match that tends to produce a winner and more often than not, to nil.
Villa did the double over the Gunners in 2023-24 after the opposite happened the previous year.
The market gives Arsenal a strong chance of keeping a clean sheet on Saturday - so much so that Aston Villa to score once or twice is at a very backable price and is the best bet for this match.
Arsenal have the joint-best home defensive record in the top flight with seven goals conceded in 10 matches but the clean sheets have dried up of late. The 1-0 triumph over Ipswich Town three weeks ago is the only time they have stopped their opponents scoring in their last eight league and cup matches, five of which were in north London.
Newcastle United, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur have all broken the deadlock at the Emirates in 2025, and given the firepower that Villa possess, it is a surprise that they are seen as touch-and-go to breach the Gunners backline.
Watkins, who netted at Arsenal in April, is the main danger, but Morgan Rogers can also be a nuisance as he looks to add to the three goals and two assists he has managed in his last five starts.
Jhon Duran will likely start on the bench but will inevitably be introduced if Emery is in search of a goal in the second half.
Villa to score 1-2 goals has landed in their last seven fixtures, with the only exception coming at St. James' Park where Duran received a first-half red card.
The Gunners are rightly favourites but still don’t look like themselves. It makes sense to back Villa to give them a scare, and possibly deal them another blow.
Get Bonuses For Arsenal vs Aston Villa
Users must be 18+. If you are having trouble with gambling then help and advice can be found at begambleaware.org. Please Play Responsibly.
Trading financial products carries a high risk to your capital, especially trading leverage products such as CFDs. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.