League-leading Arsenal host Aston Villa in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.
The Gunners fell behind for the first time this season but recovered to claim all three points against Fulham at a rambunctious Emirates Stadium last Saturday. Villa were booed off the pitch as they lost the third of their opening four matches against West Ham on Sunday.
Here’s everything you need to know about two sides enjoying contrasting form.
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Broadcast Time PST: 11:30
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Arsenal: 3 Wins
Aston Villa: 2 Wins
Draws: 0
Arsenal: WWWWW
Aston Villa: LWLWL
Mikel Arteta lost Thomas Partey (thigh) and Oleksandr ZInchenko (knee) to injury in the final training session before defeating Fulham on Saturday afternoon. Neither are expected to return as swiftly as Wednesday while their respective ailments are analysed further.
Reiss Nelson is still out with a muscular problem of his own.
Arsenal Starting 11: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney; Elneny, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe; Jesus.
Bench: Turner, Martinelli, Nketiah, Holding, Cedric, White, Vieira, Lokonga, Marquinhos.
With Diego Carlos nursing a long-term Achilles injury, Steven Gerrard had another option at centre-back taken away from him as Tyrone Mings was laid low with a fever. Calum Chambers filled in alongside Ezri Konsa for Villa’s inept 1-0 defeat to West Ham and may be called upon against his former side this midweek.
Aston Villa Starting 11: Martinez; Cash, Chambers, Konsa, Digne; Luiz, Kamara, McGinn; Buendia, Watkins, Bailey.
Bench: Olsen, Coutinho, Augustinsson, Young, Nakamba, Ings, Archer, Ramsey, Iroegbunam.
Every Premier League manager has cited Arteta as an example of what trust can foster for owners with itchy trigger fingers. Gerrard may not quite be in the firing line just yet, but a dreary run of three wins from their last 15 league matches (D3 L9) doesn’t exactly engender confidence.
Back in front of the fervent home support that Arsenal’s manager and captain both praised after the victory over Fulham, the Gunners could earn five straight wins to start the season for just the fourth time in the club’s history.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Aston Villa
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Credit: 90min.com
