Preview: Arsenal vs. Aston Villa - prediction, team news, lineups

Preview: Arsenal vs. Aston Villa - prediction, team news, lineups

 

Gabriel celebrates scoring the winner for Arsenal on August 27, 2022

When Arsenal host Aston Villa on the opening night of the 2022–23 Premier League season, the Gunners will be looking to make it five consecutive triumphs.

While Arsenal is atop the English Premier League standings with 12 points after four games, Aston Villa sits in 15th with only three points.
On Saturday, Arsenal played poorly against a strong Fulham team, but they still managed to win 2-1. Martin Odegaard tied the game in the 64th minute, and four minutes later, Gabriel Magalhaes scored the game-winner.
Mikel Arteta's team has gotten off to a great start this season, undefeated after four games with a 12 point total, two points ahead of second-place Manchester City. They have scored 11 goals and allowed just three.

The Gunners have opened the season with a 2-0 victory against Crystal Palace and a 4-2 triumph at home against Leicester City. They have since beaten Bournemouth 3-0 and Marco Silva's Fulham by the slimmest of margins 1-0.

It would be quite the feat for Arteta's squad to approach this weekend's showdown against Manchester United at Old Trafford undefeated after five games.

Arsenal's 2022-23 Europa League campaign kicks off on the road against Zurich on September 8, so squad management will be key in the coming weeks, although the North London club has shown plenty of early season promise.

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard on August 28, 2022

Arsenal is on fire, but Aston Villa is coming off a tough 1-0 home loss to West Ham United on Sunday thanks to a goal from Pablo Fornals. Villa will face another tough road matchup on Wednesday against a red-hot Arsenal team.

After losing at Bournemouth on opening weekend, Steven Gerrard's team bounced back with a 2-1 win against Everton at Villa Park. However, they have since lost their past two league games, falling 3-1 to Crystal Palace on August 20 and 2-1 to West Ham on September 2.
Although Villa's 4-1 EFL Cup victory against Bolton Wanderers on August 23 was outstanding, the team's current 15th place in the Premier League standings is cause for worry, especially given that Villa will face Arsenal on the road and Manchester City at home in its next two matches.

It remains to be seen whether Gerrard's squad can make a run at a top-half finish in England's premier league this season after finishing 14th, only 10 points above the relegation zone, last year.

Three of Villa's last five league games against Arsenal have been victories, but the team has lost the other two, including a 3-1 setback in the reverse fixture last season in North London.


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