Arsenal team news vs Aston Villa and predicted lineup | OneFootball

Arsenal will be hoping to tighten their grip on top spot in the Premier League when they travel to face Aston Villa on Saturday at 12:30pm.

The Gunners sit five points clear at the top of the table and know that they will remain first no matter the result at Villa Park. But they will want to put the pressure on those trying to chase.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Aston Villa

Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Hincapie, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Zubimendi, Eze; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli.

Mikel Arteta’s men are now unbeaten in their past 11 Premier League games, winning eight and drawing three. They’re travelling to a ground they love playing at, too.

The Gunners have won 15 Premier League games at Villa Park, their joint-most of any away ground in the competition alongside Selhurst Park.

Arsenal team news vs Aston Villa

Arsenal’s defensive injury woes have worsened. The Gunners are already without Gabriel, who expected to miss most of December due to injury. And William Saliba has missed Arsenal’s past two games through injury.

Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie have been deputising in their stead, but the former had to come off in Arsenal’s midweek win over Brentford due to injury. Jurrien Timber, who had been rested, came on to replace him.

But this weekend we could see Timber return to right-back with Riccardo Calafiori switching to centre-back, and Myles Lewis-Skelly on the left. There is a chance that Saliba could be available, but Arteta may also opt for caution and start the Frenchman on the bench.

Leandro Trossard is another who could return, but it would be wise not to start him. Viktor Gyokeres will be pushing for a start, having been a substitute in Arsenal’s past two games. Mikel Merino has led the line in his stead, scoring in each of those matches. But Gyokeres is the star striker and cannot be kept on the bench for long.

Eberechi Eze should return to the midfield, with Saka also regaining his spot on the right from Noni Madueke.

Arsenal defending well despite injury crisis

Arsenal could be forgiven for seeing a lapse in their defending given their injury woes. Any team missing their top two centre-backs — especially two of Gabriel and Saliba’s quality — would undoubtedly see a downturn in performances. But Arsenal’s defence have held very firm, remaining the best in the land.

In the 12 league game this season in which Arsenal have had at least one of Gabriel or Saliba available, the Gunners have averaged 0.71 Expected Goals conceded per 90 minutes. That includes 0.17 set-piece xG concededed. Arsenal have averaged 7.0 shots conceded and 1.92 shots on target conceded with at least one of Saliba or Gabriel available.

Now, in the past two games, those numbers have gone up slightly. Arsenal have conceded 0.8 xG, but 0.66 of that has come from set-pieces. They have also conceded more shots (8.5) and more shots on target (2.5) per 90 across the past two matches. It hasn’t seen an increase in goals conceded. Arsenal have conceded just one goal across the past two matches, despite a big increase in post-shot xG conceded (0.4 to 0.97). It’s the same rate they have conceded with at least one of Saliba and Gabriel in the team.