There’s nothing like a big derby win to put the wind back in your sails after three games without a win. Arsenal’s crucial 2-1 victory over rivals Tottenham means they are now four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Manager Mikel Arteta gave a cryptic response when asked what it meant to his side. He said after the match: “The result gives us the chance to enjoy the moment, instead of momentum because the momentum starts tomorrow to prepare for Aston Villa.”
But the Gunners should enjoy the momentum this result gives them. They’ll need plenty of it if they are to close the gap to Arne Slot’s men, who have a game in hand and could be seven points clear by the time Arsenal play Villa on Saturday in the late kick-off.
Arsenal looked like damaged goods before Wednesday night with injuries weakening their first-team line-up. The peripheral Raheem Sterling came in for Gabriel Jesus, who faces a long spell out with an ACL blow, while 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly has had to deputise at left-back in the absence of Riccardo Calafiori.
But even with at least four key figures on the sidelines — including Bukayo Saka and Ben White — Arsenal took command of the game against a Tottenham side that has also been ravaged by fitness issues. Make no mistake, Arsenal could have scored four or five if they were clinical and a better team would have made them pay for their misses.
Arsenal have not been the same team in recent weeks. They lack a regular goalscoring threat without a reliable No 9 and have struggled to get going creatively, having previously only scored twice in their last three matches. They would have chewed your arm off for three points against Tottenham in any fashion and Arteta believes they showed courage.
“We were sensational,” he said. “After two big performances without reward in two different competitions, you have to play the biggest game of the season for our people – in those conditions. It’s a test of attitude, what we are made of, the courage that we have. We played from minute one to win.”
We will see if that same attitude and courage is present when Unai Emery visits his former club with Aston Villa on Saturday. The Villans should be a totally different proposition to Spurs after winning their last three matches.
Emery has done brilliant things at Villa Park after taking them to the Champions League last season, and while they have suffered mixed results this season, they have dangerous players like Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers and Jhon Duran who can do damage.
Arsenal won the reverse fixture 2-0 at Villa Park last summer but were fortunate to see two glaring misses from Watkins that day. It was a let-off they might not be gifted again, especially given that Villa did the double over them last season without conceding a goal.
Villa fans won’t want to look at the history books of this fixture. While they might have enjoyed success over Arsenal in 2023-24, they suffered a four-game streak of losses between 2021 and 2023. They won three in a row against Arsenal between 2020 and 2021 but beforehand went on a run of one win in eight years — which included 10 defeats and one draw.
Arsenal will definitely have Jesus, Saka, Ethan Nwaneri and White out for this game, and Takehiro Tomiyasu needs longer in his recovery. There is a chance Calafiori could be available after his knee injury but Arteta may opt to continue with the impressive Lewis-Skelly at left-back anyway.
For Villa, Pau Torres and Ross Barkley remain unavailable. Diego Carlos looks unlikely to play after reportedly holding talks with Fenerbahce. John McGinn is a doubt after his hamstring problem after Emery said he needed more time before returning.
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Arsenal vs Aston Villa odds
Venue: Emirates Stadium — London
Time: 5:30 p.m. GMT (12:30 p.m. ET), Saturday
Form guide (league only)
Arsenal: 12-7-2, 43 points (2nd); W-D-W-W-W
Aston Villa: 10-5-6, 35 points (7th); W-W-D-L-W
Match prediction
Arsenal 1-1 Aston Villa
Arsenal got the job done against Tottenham but it largely papered over the cracks. It wasn’t an accomplished performance and Villa will be a far more challenging test. The Gunners are still missing key personnel and they will have to work incredibly hard if they are to make it two wins on the spin. Villa have hit form at the right time and will be no pushovers.
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(Photo of Martin Odegaard: Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)
