Aston Villa vs Arsenal: Preview and Prediction

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Match Preview:

The midweek defeat to West Ham was Aston Villa’s 3rd loss in five games and Dean Smith’s side have slipped down to 9th place. Inconsistency has been the deal breaker for Villa and even though they do have a couple of games in hand a European spot could become a distant dream if they do not put 2-3 wins together and get themselves going again like much earlier in the season.

Of course after last season Villa would be happy with 32 points and being in the top half of the league as we enter February but now we know what the club can achieve they might be a tinge of disappointment within the side that they are not a little higher.

The problem with Villa’s home form is that from 9 games they have won 4 but also lost 4, and their home form pretty much summarises their season so far. The clubs last home game was of course the West Ham match where they would have started as slight favourites to win. Villa were not poor and indeed had more possession but there was hardly any bite in the final third and for a home side to have just 2 shots on target whilst the opposition had 10 is simply not good enough. If Villa allow that from Arsenal they will lose this one too.

Arsenal’s recent good form came crashing down as they lost to Wolves 2-1 and that means that Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have done the double over the Gunners this season. But Arsenal will point to the fact that David Luiz’s sending off changed the game and that story could run for weeks as his red card may have been to the laws of the game but from a point of common sense it felt like it didn’t make any.

Mikel Arteta’s side are in 10th place but both Leeds and Crystal Palace directly behind them have a game in hand. It will be interesting to see if the loss to Wolves is just a blip and ending up with 9 men on the field of course was never going to help matters. On the form of the last 10 games Arsenal would be 4th in the league and have lost just twice. On the road it’s 5 wins but also five defeats and one draw. The Gunners were turning their form around though and had won their last 3 away games until the Wolves defeat.

Team News:  

Aston Villa: Kortney Hause is out with an ongoing foot injury. Wesley is long term with his knee and an update suggests that he isn’t due back until the spring.

Arsenal: David Luiz is suspended for this game after being sent off in Arsenal’s last game v Wolves, the same applies to goalkeeper Bernd Leno who was also sent off. Pablo Mari has a chance to return and will face a late test. Mat Ryan has a hip injury and is only 50/50 to make this game. Kieran Tierney is on the road to recovery from his calf injury but is set to miss this encounter.

Aston Villa vs Arsenal Head to Head:

Last season Aston Villa won this fixture 1-0.

Earlier this season in the reverse fixture Aston Villa won 3-0.

Though Aston Villa have won the last 2 meetings, Arsenal have won 6 of the last 8.

There is an 80% chance to see over 2.5 goals.

Aston Villa vs Arsenal Prediction:

Arsenal still have a chance for a European finish with some consistency, and Arsenal despite their poor form this season have been one of the rare teams to find a winning run this season. The Wolves defeat seemed to come down to a spectacular goal and those 2 red cards, one justified for madness by goalkeeper Bernd Leno and the other in David Luiz highly questionable and of course those two players will be missing for this game.

Pierre-Emerick Aubamyang should be back up to game fitness for this and one would hope that Nicolas Pepe after his good goal against Wolves will have some attacking intent in this game. Aston Villa blow hot and cold and if a hungry and passionate Villa side turn up this will be a difficult game for the Gunners. 

It’s risky because of how overall Arsenal have performed this season but the club will look at West Ham’s recent win here and will want to put the Wolves loss down as a distant memory and move on. Arsenal have the attacking players to win the game but a leaky defence, therefore as we feel we could see a few goals, it might be better to stick to the goals markets.

Aston Villa vs Arsenal Betting Tips:

Both teams to score at 1.53

Anytime goalscorer: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at 2.75

Over 2.5 goals at 1.62