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:
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Unai Emery has lost only one of his seven matches as a manager versus Arsenal in all competitions, Villa’s 4-2 Premier League home defeat in February 2023 when the Gunners scored twice in stoppage time.
Mike Jones24 August 2024 17:20
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Morgan Rogers has scored in each of his last three Premier League appearances at Villa Park.
Mike Jones24 August 2024 17:15
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Kai Havertz has an unrivalled 17 Premier League goal involvements since mid-February, with 10 goals and seven assists in 15 appearances.
The German is yet to score or set up a goal in seven games against Aston Villa, the most he has faced an opponent without doing so.
Mike Jones24 August 2024 17:10
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Ollie Watkins has gone six Premier League appearances without a goal since he scored in a 2-0 win at Arsenal on 14 April. He has five career league goals against the Gunners.
Mike Jones24 August 2024 17:05
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.
Mike Jones24 August 2024 17:00
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
The Gunners have won 17 of their 19 top-flight matches in 2024, with their only defeat coming at home to Aston Villa in April. They can equal the record of 18 league wins from the first 20 matches of a calendar year, set by Liverpool in 1982 and matched by Manchester City in both 2019 and 2021.
Mike Jones24 August 2024 16:55
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Arsenal have won eight of their nine Premier League away games so far in 2024, drawing the other, scoring 28 goals and keeping seven clean sheets. It is their longest unbeaten away streak since a run of 12 in 2016 under Arsene Wenger.
Mike Jones24 August 2024 16:50
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Aston Villa are looking to win their opening two Premier League matches of a season for a fourth time, having done so in 1995-96, 1999-00 and 2020-21.
They have won their opening home league fixture in each of the past four seasons – and began 2023-24 with eight straight top-flight victories at Villa Park.
Mike Jones24 August 2024 16:45
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Arsenal have won 14 Premier League games at Villa Park, their joint most at an away venue along with Selhurst Park.
Mike Jones24 August 2024 16:40
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Aston Villa did the double over Arsenal last season, accounting for 40% of the Gunners’ Premier League defeats in 2023-24.
Villa have won five of the past nine Premier League meetings, keeping a clean sheet each time. It’s as many victories as they’d managed in their previous 46 attempts against Arsenal.
Mike Jones24 August 2024 16:35
