Premier League Preview: Arsenal - Aston Villa

Shifting Sands, Changed Fortunes

Arsenal, on the rack little more than a week ago, their Premier League title chances apparently hanging by a thread, are buoyant again after two well-received victories. In contrast, Aston Villa, who had been poised to displace the Gunners in the top four, unexpectedly lost their last two Premier League games. So while third-placed Arsenal are seeking a third straight win in all competitions,. Villa will be anxious to avoid a third successive League defeat.

The games that revived Arsenal's fortunes and helped restored manager Arsene Wenger's reputation were last Saturday's pulsating 2-1 victory over defending champions Manchester United, and Tuesday's impressive 3-0 demolition of a full-strength Wigan side by a team of Arsenal's precociously talented youngsters in the Carling Cup.

Villa, who had been knocking on the door of the Big Four after some excellent results and performances, stumbled to a 2-0 defeat at struggling Newcastle and a shock home loss at the hands of Villa old boy Gareth Southgate's Middlesbrough. Those set-backs came either side of an encouraging 1-0 away win against Slavia Prague in the Uefa Cup.

Arsenal's win against Manchester United was achieved with a depleted side shorn of first-choice strikers Emmanuel Adebayor (injured against Stoke) and Robin van Persie (suspended after being dismissed in the same game). The Gunners' aim now has to be to attain consistency and close the six-point gap on second-placed Liverpool and leaders Chelsea.

Past Games, Late Goals

Villa, having slipped to fifth in the table, would need to beat the Gunners by a five-goal margin to overtake them. But if that seems unlikely, the Gunners have been held to 1-1 home draws on both previous occasions that Villa have visited the Emirates. In fact Martin O'Neill's Villa tenure began with one of those 1-1 draws in August 2006. On the other hand, Villa have not beaten Arsenal, home or away, in 19 attempts. The last time they won on Arsenal's turf was in early November 1993. The Gunners have not lost a home Premier League game against a club from the Midlands since Wenger became manager. And Villa have won only one of their last 26 league games in London, a sequence spanning more than four years.

Arsenal's third goal against Wigan on Wednesday was their 50th of the season and came in the their 20th match so far. They've scored in each of their last 10 Premier League games and there has been a last-minute goal in each of their last six League matches – though not always in their favour. In the corresponding fixture last season, too, Arsenal substitute Nicklas Bendtner equalised against Villa with virtually the last kick of the game.

That deprived Villa of a long overdue win against the Gunners, but maintained the Villans' fairly dismal record of just one win against the 'Big Four' clubs in 35 attempts since April 2004. That solitary win was a 2-0 triumph against Chelsea at Villa Park in September 2007, the latter throes of Jose Mourinho's reign. Their last away win against any of that elite quartet was back in May 2002 at Stamford Bridge, when they won 3-1.

Overall, the two clubs have met 158 times in League contests, with Arsenal claiming 64 wins, Villa 58, and 36 games being drawn. In the Premier League the record reads Arsenal 16 wins, Villa five, and 11 draws. In League games on Arsenal territory only, the Gunners have won 42 times, Villa 20, and there have been 17 draws. In 16 Premier League meetings at Arsenal, the Gunners have been victorious on nine occasions, and Villa just twice, with five games ending all-square - including both of the last two.

How The Managers See It

Assessing his opponents ahead of Saturday's game, Wenger told journalists this week: "They are physically strong and technically efficient. They have a lot of pace and can adjust their style. They can play in the air and on the ground.

"It's a very, very open Premier League now. It's tougher this year and more interesting, and it looks like anyone can drop points, which is good for us. It's a massive game - a big, big test after the United game. We've built up belief and this game will give us a big answer."

His Villa counterpart O'Neill commented: "On their own patch they are a very fine footballing side.

"It will be an interesting game because they now think they are back on track for the title. It was a big game for them against Manchester United last weekend - it was a game they had to win and they did it. Now it's up to us because we have to try to win a game to put ourselves back on track."


FORM GUIDE

Arsenal

11 Nov (Carling Cup) v Wigan (H) WON 3-0
08 Nov (Premier League) v Man Utd (H) WON 2-1
05 Nov (Champions League) v Fenerbahce (H) DREW 0-0
01 Nov (Premier League) v Stoke (A) LOST 1-2
29 Oct (Premier League) v Tottenham (H) DREW 4-4

Aston Villa

09 Nov (Premier League) v Middlesbrough (H) LOST 1-2
06 Nov (Uefa Cup) v Slavia Prague (A) WON 1-0
03 Nov (Premier League) v Newcastle (A) LOST 0-2
29 Oct (Premier League) v Blackburn (H) WON 3-2
26 Oct (Premier League) v Wigan (A) WON 4-0


TEAM NEWS

Arsenal

Wenger could have Emmanuel Adebayor and Manuel Almunia back from injury, but will definitely be without Robin van Persie, who is suspended, and Emmanuel Eboue, who has an injured knee. Eduardo and Tomas Rosicky are also ruled out still.

Squad: Almunia, Fabianski, Diaby, Sagna, Fabregas, Toure, Nasri, Gallas, Vela, Walcott, Denilson, Ramsey, Song, Silvestre, Wilshere, Gibbs, Djourou, Clichy, Bendtner, Adebayor.

Last Starting XI: Fabianski, Hoyte, Song Billong, Djourou, Gibbs, Wilshere (Bischoff 76), Randall, Ramsey, Merida, Simpson (Lansbury 76), Vela (Fonte 84).
Subs Not Used: Mannone, Coquelin, Ogogo, Frimpong.

Last Starting XI in Premier League: Almunia (Fabianski 78), Sagna, Gallas, Silvestre, Clichy, Walcott (Song Billong 77), Fabregas, Denilson, Nasri, Diaby (Toure 86), Bendtner.
Subs Not Used: Vela, Ramsey, Wilshere, Djourou. Booked: Gallas, Sagna, Clichy.


Aston Villa

Stilliyan Petrov and Luke Young could return after injury for O'Neill. James Milner is again likely to partner Gabriel Agbonlahor in the Villa attack if striker John Carew fails to recover in time from an injured hip.

Squad: Friedel, Guzan, Luke Young, Cuellar, Davies, Laursen, Shorey,Milner, Sidwell, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Ashley Young, Agbonlahor, Carew, Harewood, Gardner, Routledge, Salifou, Knight, Delfouneso.

Last Starting XI: Friedel, Cuellar, Davies, Laursen, Shorey (Harewood 70), Reo-Coker, Sidwell, Barry, Milner, Agbonlahor, Ashley Young.
Subs Not Used: Guzan, Routledge, Salifou, Knight, Delfouneso, Gardner.


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arsenal

Given Villa's pace on the wings, the game is likely to be an interesting challenge for left-back Gael Clichy. The Frenchman who took over o smoothly from Ashley Cole for the Gunners has been their most consistent defender for the last couple of seasons, showing good awareness and positional sense and sharp turn of speed, and offering vital width to Arsenal's attacks. He recently scored his first-ever goal for the club, and has also made a vital goal-line clearance - as well as a slip that cost a goal against Spurs.

Samir Nasri scored two fine goals against Manchester United last weekend and will be looking to maintain that form and momentum, cutting in dangerously from the flanks. Another of Wenger's French contingent, he is proving to be an astute summer purchase - and will be keen to add to his five-goal haul for the season so far.


Aston Villa

In his Blackburn days, American goalkeeper Brad Friedel was regularly inspired against the Gunners, and he will be looking to make life as hard as possible for the Arsenal forwards again on Saturday. Remarkably, it will be Friedel's 165th consecutive Premier League appearance, a sequence that began with Rovers at the start of the 2004-05 season, and means he needs just one more game to equal the run of David James, who made 166 consecutive appearances for Manchester City and Portsmouth between 17 January 2004 and 27 April 2008.

Further forward, Steve Sidwell will hope to start, or at least be involved, for two reasons. Firstly, he will be eager to erase the memory of his errant back-pass that gifted Tuncay Sanli the winning goal for Middlesbrough last weekend, taking the gloss off his own first goal for Villa in the same match. Secondly, having begun his career with the Gunners - and won two FA Youth Cups in Arsenal colours in 2000 and 2001. Having moved in 2003 to Reading, and then in 2007 to Chelsea before joining Villa in summer 2008, Sidwell would love to impress on his return to the club where he was unable to break into the first-team.