Date: Monday, January 13 Venue: Villa Park Kick-Off: 20:00 Can Arsenal re-take top spot in the Barclay's Premier League and avenge their 3-1 defeat earlier this season when they travel to Aston Villa on Monday?
Team News
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has injury concerns over Ron Vlaar and Nathan Baker ahead of the visit of Arsenal in the Premier League. The duo are doubtful with calf and hamstring problems, respectively, but Brad Guzan and Gabriel Agbonlahor are back in contention following injury and Ciaran Clark is back from suspension. Arsenal could welcome Oliver Giroud back in the side following the striker's recovery from illness and injury while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is fit again following a long-term lay-off. Thomas Vermaelen (knee) is a doubt and Theo Walcott will sit out the rest of the season. (bbc)
Key Stats
Aston Villa beat Arsenal 3-1 on the opening day of the season, but have not beaten the Gunners home and away in the same campaign since the inaugural Premier League of 1992-93. The Gunners won the most away points (41) in the Premier League in 2013. Christian Benteke has not scored for 11 Premier League matches. It's 13 hours and 29 minutes since his last goal, against Newcastle in September. Arsene Wenger's side have won just two of their last nine Premier League matches in January (W2, D2, L5).
Likely Line-Ups
Aston Villa Guzan, Luna, Clark, Vlaar, Lowton, Delph, Westwood, Bauna, Agbonlahor, Benteke, Albrighton Arsenal Szczesny, Sagna, Mertsacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Arteta, Wilshere, Gnabry, zil, Cazorla, Giroud
Match Preview
The opening day of the Premier League season must seem an age ago to Arsenal. Then, the Gunners slouched to a 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa at the Emirates as fans urged manager Arsene Wenger to "spend, spend, spend!" Another campaign of disappointment and frustration looked to be on the cards for the Londoners but then Wenger signed Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid and everything changed. Tonight, Wenger's side will reclaim top-spot in the league if they avenge their loss to the Villans last August - which goes to show just how far they've come since. These days, it's up to Wenger's counterpart Paul Lambert to appease disgruntled and disenchanted supporters. Villa were ignominiously dumped out of the FA Cup by Sheffield United last weekend and ended a five-match win-less run in the Premier League when they beat Sunderland on New Year's Day. And I can't see them stunning Arsenal as they did five months ago here. Prediction: 0-2
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
