Preview: Third meets first as Arsenal travel to Aston Villa
Aston Villa host Arsenal at Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime in this top of the table Premier League clash.
Both sides are first and second in the league’s form table over the previous six matches. Villa have won 15 points in that time, while Arsenal have claimed 14.
Sitting third and first in the league table respectively, this matchup kicks off another exciting weekend of top flight action.
Aston Villa have been formidable at home this season
Since losing to Crystal Palace in August, Villa have not been defeated at Villa Park in all competitions.
This includes league wins over the likes of Manchester City and Bournemouth, while all three Europa League ties played in the Midlands has seen the home side emerge victorious.
Unai Emery has transformed Villa Park into a fortress, evidenced by the fact the club lost just four league matches there across both the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons.
The comeback victory over Brighton in midweek will give a further jolt to the confidence, notably to Ollie Watkins, who scored twice.
Watkins has a solid record against the Gunners, scoring six goals in just 11 matches against them. Can he improve this record on Saturday? Watch this space.
Is this finally Arsenal’s year?
Surely this is the season that the North Londoners end their domestic title drought? The perennial bridesmaid in recent years, Mikel Arteta has the tools at his disposal to win a first Premier League crown since 2004.
Recruiting Viktor Gyökeres in the summer could turn out to be a masterstroke, with the Swede scoring four from 12 league games thus far. His all-round ability, however, has been crucial to the Gunners’ success already this season.
Arteta will be hoping that injuries are not the club’s downfall once again. Against Brentford, Declan Rice and Cristhian Mosquera both came off with injury issues.
If he can manage his squad effectively over the hectic festive period, Arsenal could emerge from it in a wonderful place.
Team news
Emery could still be without goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who withdrew from the squad against Brighton in midweek.
Tyrone Mings and Ross Barkley will remain absent and are not expected back until the start of 2026 at the earliest.
Arteta has a bigger crisis on his hands compared to his compatriot. Indeed, Mosquera joins the likes of Leandro Trossard and William Saliba as being doubts for this clash.
Gabriel is still unavailable, while Kai Havertz’s absence could extend until the new year as the German has had a setback recently.
Prediction
This is certainly a tough match to predict, especially with both teams entering the weekend in excellent form.
Although Villa have been nearly perfect at home this season, Arsenal did win on their last visit to the ground in August 2024.
Whatever happens, expect an intriguing tie which could set the tone for the rest of the weekend. As such, we at FotMob are predicting a narrow 2-1 victory for Arsenal.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow all the games from the Premier League on FotMob in the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.