Arsenal face a stern test at Aston Villa in the Premier League today, going up against a team that defeated them twice last season.
The Gunners are aiming to build on a strong start to their title challenge, having beaten Wolves 2-0 at home on the season’s opening weekend. That victory came courtesy of goals from Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, who provided the assist for Saka’s second-half strike after nodding home inside the first half-hour. Aston Villa also enter this fixture on the back of a win in gameweek one, however. Emery’s side came out on top against West Ham at London Stadium, as Amadou Onana struck early and Jhon Duran ensured a 2-1 victory.
For Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, almost every game is a must-win this season, after their last two campaigns saw them challenge Manchester City valiantly but come up short both times. They could, therefore, be in for a nervy afternoon at Villa Park, as play a team that beat them twice last season – en route to securing Champions League football, no less. Emery and co prevailed 2-0 away and 1-0 at home, and they will believe they can repeat the trick here.
Follow all the action from today’s Premier League encounter below:
It doesn’t matter that it’s early – Arsenal face major test in a title fight of tiny margins
Both of these managers have done very good jobs, both of these clubs have made sizeable strides. One of them is nonetheless likely about to get criticised and told they need to do more in the next week or risk missing out on their objectives. And it almost doesn’t matter which coach it’s aimed at.
Such is the relentless, never-stand-still nature of the Premier League and the focus point of most outsider commentators, who see transfer necessities in draws and trophy pushes in victories, even two weeks into the season.
Defeat? That can mean anything, from a side going stale to a manager falling short. But both of these clubs will sidestep those hot takes, of course. Regardless of a single result in isolation, both will feel they are prepared and on course for their respective seasonal objectives – it’s just that Arsenal have far less margin for error. And that makes this trip to Villa Park a particularly noteworthy one, with the Gunners up against their former boss Unai Emery, and their former goalkeeper Emi Martinez.
Jack Rathborn24 August 2024 14:10
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Aston Villa also enter this fixture on the back of a win in gameweek one, however. Emery’s side came out on top against West Ham at London Stadium, as Amadou Onana struck early and Jhon Duran ensured a 2-1 victory.
For Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, almost every game is a must-win this season, after their last two campaigns saw them challenge Manchester City valiantly but come up short both times. They could, therefore, be in for a nervy afternoon at Villa Park, as play a team that beat them twice last season – en route to securing Champions League football, no less. Emery and co prevailed 2-0 away and 1-0 at home, and they will believe they can repeat the trick here.
Follow live as we build up to kick-off at 5.30pm BST.
Alex Pattle23 August 2024 15:21
