Verdict: Ollie Watkins over 0.5 shots on target
Best Odds: 1/1
Bookmaker: Dachbet
In what is a mouth-watering Premier League showdown on Tuesday night, Arsenal will welcome Aston Villa to north London.
Arsenal
Starting with the hosts, putting in another gritty performance over the weekend as they secured a 2-1 victory at home against Brighton, Arsenal find themselves sat in the driving seat to clinch a first Premier League crown since way back in 2004. Opening up Tuesday’s showdown in north London holding a two-point buffer over the chasing pack, Mikel Arteta’s men will be looking to make a heavyweight statement here. Extending on their EFL Cup adventure last week and booking their semi-final ticket after edging past local rivals Crystal Palace, the Gunners have won each of their previous five appearances across all competitions. However, despite enjoying what has become a sensational Champions League romp, Arsenal did fall to a last-gasp 2-1 defeat when they travelled to the Midlands back on December 6th and they look set for what will certainly be a stern examination in midweek.
Arsenal Team News
Suffering an injury setback last month, Arsenal will once again be without German international Kai Havertz on Tuesday night. Likewise, not featuring over the past month, summer recruit Cristhian Mosquera is still dealing with an ankle issue and remains a doubt.
However, coming off the bench over the weekend and featuring for the first time since returning from November’s international break, defensive talisman Gabriel Magalhaes could get some more minutes under his belt. Finding the net against Brighton on Saturday and opening his Premier League account skipper Martin Odegaard should keep his spot from the start.
Aston Villa
As for the visitors, while Aston Villa might have endured a stuttering start when getting proceedings underway back in August, Unai Emery’s men have come roaring back in a record-breaking fashion. Mounting a stunning comeback away at Chelsea over the weekend as they eventually left west London with a 2-1 victory, the former Arsenal boss should be relishing an immediate return to the capital on Tuesday night. Getting the midweek fixtures underway sat just three points adrift of the Gunners and skyrocketing their way to the top of the Premier League table, Aston Villa have continued to shattering a string of long-standing records. In fact, Emery’s high-flying squad have won all of their previous 11 consecutive appearances across all competitions and their astonishing run is certainly highlighted by that 2-1 win against Arsenal on December 6th.
Aston Villa Team News
Shown what was a costly first-half booking at Stamford Bridge over the weekend, Polish international Matty Cash will serve a one-match suspension here. Both dealing with respective injury issues, the defensive duo of Tyrone Minas and Pau Torres will once again miss out on Tuesday night.
Coming off the bench and bagging a sensational brace in west London on Saturday, England international Ollie Watkins should be handed a full recall. Featuring for the Ivory Coast at this month’s AFCON, summer recruit and former Nice striker Evann Guessand will play no part in north London.
Arsenal vs Aston Villa Key Factors to Consider
- When Arsenal and Aston Villa met for their reverse Premier League showdown on December 6th, Tuesday’s guests collected a 2-1 victory in the Midlands.
- Emery’s record-breaking squad have won all of their previous 11 consecutive appearances across all competitions.
- Arsenal have won their previous five outings across all fronts – a run that stems back to that 2-1 loss at Villa Park.
- The Gunners have recorded just a single clean sheet from their last five domestic appearances.
- Along with each of their last six consecutive outings, Aston Villa have seen eight of their previous nine showdowns finish with both teams finding the net.
Conclusion
Landing that famous last-gasp 2-1 victory when they welcomed Arsenal to the Midlands on December 6th, Aston Villa will certainly be relishing a trip to north London on Tuesday night. Remarkably opening the midweek fixtures sat just three points adrift of finding a route to the top of the table, Emery’s high-flying squad have won all of their previous 11 consecutive appearances across all competitions. Gaining a reputation for their action-packed affairs, we could be treated to another Premier League thriller from the Emirates on Tuesday.
Verdict: Ollie Watkins over 0.5 shots on target
Best Odds: 1/1
Bookmaker: Dachbet
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