Arsenal vs Aston Villa Preview: Title rivals go head-to-head

December 29, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Arsenal vs Aston Villa Preview: Title rivals go head-to-head

Premier League title contenders Arsenal and Aston Villa meet for the second time in four weeks when they face off at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening, with momentum, form and belief on both sides.

Villa emerged victorious in the reverse fixture at Villa Park earlier this month, and now Unai Emery returns to north London knowing another win would draw his side level on points with his former club.

Arsenal, however, remain top of the table and are determined to ensure they finish 2025 in first place.

Arsenal Grinding On at the Summit

Arsenal responded to Manchester City's win at Nottingham Forest by edging past Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 on Saturday evening.

Martin Ødegaard's thunderous opener and a fortuitous own goal proved enough, despite a nervy finale.

Mikel Arteta's side have now won five consecutive league games and nine of their last 10 at home, including six straight victories at the Emirates - their best home run since 2022.

Sitting two points clear at the top, Arsenal know another win would cement their position heading into the new year.

However, recent meetings with Villa offer cause for concern.

The Gunners have lost three of the last five encounters between the sides, including the defeat in Birmingham earlier this month.

Villa's Extraordinary Run Shows No Sign of Slowing

Villa arrive in North London on an extraordinary run of form.

Their 2-1 comeback win over Chelsea on Saturday marked 11 straight victories in all competitions, equaling a club record and representing their best top-flight run since 1910.

Villa have now recovered 18 points from losing positions this season - more than any other Premier League side - and have won more matches and accumulated more points than anyone since their poor start left them winless after five games.

They have also taken four points from their last two visits to the Emirates, including a 2-0 win in April 2024 and a 2-2 draw earlier this year.

Team News and Selection Headaches

Arsenal's defensive injury problems persist.

Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera are all sidelined, forcing Declan Rice to fill in at right-back against Brighton.

The return of Gabriel Magalhães was timely, though it remains unclear whether he is ready to start.

In attack, Gabriel Martinelli is pushing for a start after a bright cameo, whilst Ødegaard is expected to retain his place after scoring his first Emirates goal since September.

Viktor Gyökeres continues to search for consistency.

For Villa, Ollie Watkins is expected to start after his two-goal impact off the bench at Chelsea, with Donyell Malen likely to drop out.

Emery must also cope without Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara, both suspended, whilst Tyrone Mings, Pau Torres and Ross Barkley remain unavailable.

Predicted Line-ups

Arsenal: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Rice, Ødegaard; Saka, Gyökeres, Eze

Aston Villa: Martínez; Bogarde, Konsa, Lindelöf, Maatsen; Onana, Tielemans; McGinn, Buendía, Rogers; Watkins

Match Outlook

Both sides have shown resilience and an ability to win tight matches, suggesting another tense contest in north London.

Villa's momentum is formidable, but Arsenal's home form remains a major obstacle.

If Villa's remarkable streak does come to an end, Manchester City would be the biggest beneficiaries.

But if Emery's side triumph again, they would deliver a major statement in the title race.

Kick-off: 8.15pm GMT, Tuesday 30 December 2025
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London

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