Gaziantep FK
Eyüpspor
Konyaspor
Trabzonspor
Başakşehir
Sivasspor
Göztepe
Samsunspor
Kocaelispor
İstanbulspor
Villarreal
Espanyol
Juventus
Hellas Verona
Key Points:
- Arsenal host Aston Villa in a vital Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium.
- The Gunners aim to continue their title pursuit, while Villa look to build on their impressive recent form.
- Unai Emery seeks to claim another memorable victory against his former club.
Arsenal will conclude a challenging week on Saturday evening when they welcome Aston Villa to the Emirates Stadium.
Villa dealt a significant blow to Arsenal’s title aspirations last season with a 2-0 victory at the Emirates, and Unai Emery’s side will aim to repeat the feat this time around. The visitors have won three consecutive matches and arrive in London full of confidence.
For Arsenal, Mikel Arteta will hope his side can build on their midweek triumph in the north London derby. A hard-fought 2-1 victory over Tottenham moved the Gunners within four points of league leaders Liverpool, although they have played one game more.
Match Details
- Location: Emirates Stadium, London, England
- Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025
- Kick-off Time: 17:30 GMT / 12:30 ET / 09:30 PT
- Referee: Chris Kavanagh
- VAR: John Brooks
Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Meetings)
- Arsenal: 3 wins
- Aston Villa: 2 wins
- Draws: 0
- Last Meeting: Aston Villa 0-2 Arsenal (August 24, 2024) – Premier League
Current Form (All Competitions)
| Arsenal | Aston Villa |
|---|---|
| Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham | Everton 0-1 Aston Villa |
| Arsenal 1-1 (3-5p) Man Utd | Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham |
| Arsenal 0-2 Newcastle | Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester |
| Brighton 1-1 Arsenal | Aston Villa 2-2 Brighton |
| Brentford 1-3 Arsenal | Newcastle 3-0 Aston Villa |
How to Watch
| Country | TV Channel/Stream |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky GO, NOW TV |
| United States | fuboTV, Peacock, UNIVERSO |
| Canada | fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network Canada |
Team News
Arsenal
Arsenal face mounting injury concerns. Gabriel Jesus suffered an ACL injury against Manchester United in the FA Cup and is out for the season, joining Bukayo Saka on the sidelines. Promising youngster Ethan Nwaneri is also unavailable.
Defensive issues persist with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu out, although Riccardo Calafiori could return after missing the north London derby.
Predicted Lineup (4-3-3):
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Trossard, Havertz, Martinelli.
Aston Villa
Villa’s January signing, Donyell Malen, could make his debut, but Emery may opt to introduce him gradually. The visitors will be without key midfielders John McGinn and Ross Barkley, while defensive absentees Pau Torres and Diego Carlos further deplete their options.
Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Kamara, Onana; Rogers, Tielemans, Ramsey; Watkins.
Prediction
Arsenal’s attacking woes, exacerbated by Saka and Jesus’ absences, have left them struggling to convert chances in recent matches. Villa, meanwhile, have shown resilience and attacking potency, though their defensive vulnerabilities remain a concern.
The match could see plenty of action at both ends, with Villa confident of securing a result after their impressive form. However, Arsenal’s quality in midfield and home advantage may help them salvage at least a draw.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa
