After pushing Manchester City all the way for the Premier League title last season, this campaign feels different as Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal go into this weekend’s encounter against Aston Villa top of the table on goal difference, with just seven games left to play.
Their UEFA Champions League 2-2 draw at the Emirates against German side Bayern Munich served as a reminder of the Gunners’ resilient display this term.
Since the winter break, the Gunners have been near unstoppable, winning 10 of their 11 league games.
They have scored more goals (38), conceded fewer goals (4), and kept more clean sheets (7) than any other Premier League side in 2024, while Yoane Wissa is the only player to score against them in their last five PL matches.
They currently have a goal difference of +51 in the Premier League; their highest in the competition since the final day of the 2004-05 season, which may be crucial at the end of the season with both Liverpool and Man City currently just one point behind them in the table.
Aston Villa aiming to shatter the title ambitions of Arsenal
Standing in their way of another valuable three points is former head coach Unai Emery and his Aston Villa side, who are looking to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.
The Villains will surely be boosted by the return of Ollie Watkins who scored in their 2-1 victory against UEFA Europa Conference league opponents Lille on Thursday night.
A 3-3 draw against Brentford last weekend, a game that saw them throw away a two-goal lead, coupled with Tottenham’s 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest saw Aston Villa drop out of the top four for the first time since Matchday 25.
Despite currently being on a poor run of form that has seen them win just one of their last five Premier League matches with defeats to Tottenham and Man City as well as draws against the aforementioned Brentford and West Ham, they will be confident having already beaten Arsenal once this season. They will be hoping to do the league double over the Gunners for the first time since 2020/21.
Arsenal are huge odds on favorites to extend their unbeaten run to 12 games in the Premier League in 2024, while Unai Emery is best priced 10/1 to derail his former club’s title charge and leave with all three points.
Arsenal Team News
Mikel Arteta will look to manage players’ minutes across these next week due to a congested fixture schedule whilst keeping his players fresh and ready to challenge for the Champions League and Premier League trophies.
Kai Havertz is having his best goal-scoring Premier League season in his first campaign with the Gunners, setting a new personal best with nine goals in 2023/24.
The German has made the number nine role his own in recent weeks and has been directly involved in more goals in his last seven Premier League appearances (5 goals, 4 assists) than he was in the whole of last season for Chelsea (7 goals, 1 assists).
The only absentee for the Gunners remains Jurien Timber, who has been out since the opening league game of the 2023/24 season.
Aston Villa Team News
Both John McGinn and Ollie Watkins returned for the 3-3 draw against Brentford last weekend, but Villa are still without Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, Tyrone Mings, and Emiliano Buendia.
Douglas Luiz is suspended after picking up his 10th yellow card of the season last time out.
Arsenal Vs Aston Villa Predicted lineups
Arsenal ( 4-3-3): Raya, Ben white, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Ødegaard, Jorginho, Rice, Saka, Trossard, Kai Havertz
Aston Villa (4-4-1-1): Martinez, Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne, Leon Bailey, Youri Tielemans, Douglas Luiz, Morgan Rogers, John McGinn, Ollie Watkins
Prediction: Arsenal 1:0 Aston Villa
Kick-off Time And Date: 04:30 PM, Sunday, April 14, 2024
