Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal take on Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on April 14. The Gunners will remain top of the league with a win, while Aston Villa currently sit in fifth. Last Word on Football brings you an Arsenal predicted lineup as they prepare to take on former manager Unai Emery.
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Aston Villa
💬 "I hate losing and it’s something I’ve never got better at. In fact I never want to be good at that!"
🗞️ Ben White on why togetherness brings out the very best in him 👇
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 11, 2024
How Arsenal have Lined up Recently
Arsenal have lined up with a 4-3-3 this season with a settled lineup. David Raya is the preferred goalkeeper over Aaron Ramsdale. Raya saved two crucial penalties in the penalty shootout against FC Porto to advance to the quarter-finals in the UEFA Champions League. He has also started seven out of eight Champions League matches for Arsenal, with Ramsdale playing the final group game against PSV Eindhoven. Raya is leading the Premier League Golden Glove Award with 11 clean sheets, three more than Pickford in second place. He has also conceded the fewest goals on average in the league.
The back four has also been consistent. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães make up the centre-back pairing, continuing their great form. Ben White has also been consistent at right back. He won the Arsenal Player of the Month award for March. As for left-back, Jakub Kiwior was the first choice, yet Oleksandr Zinchenko has played the last two league matches in that position. Takehiro Tomiyasu has come on as a substitute in the previous two games. Yet, Kiwior started midweek in the Champions League against Bayern Munich – but was subbed off for Zinchenko at halftime.
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The midfield three has been consistent, with Declan Rice, Jorginho and Martin Ødegaard. This was the same midfield in the Champions League in midweek. Yet, only Ødegaard started the match against Luton, with Jorginho replaced by Thomas Partey and Rice replaced with Emile Smith Rowe. Jorginho returned and assisted Kai Havertz for the second goal against Brighton.
As for the front three, Bukayo Saka has started at right wing and Kai Havertz as striker for the majority of the season. Havertz won the Man of the Match award vs Brighton, gaining an assist and a goal. Yet, Gabriel Jesus returned to the left wing, replacing the injured Gabriel Martinelli, who came on as a substitute.
Martinelli has consistently started at left wing until his injury, with Leandro Trossard starting in his position since his absence. Trossard also found the back against Brighton (his former club) and scored a pivotal equaliser against Bayern. Saka, Martinelli and Havertz started against Bayern.
Recent form
Arsenal have remained unbeaten since the start of the year in the Premier League. They have picked up 31 out of a possible 33 points so far this season, with the only points dropped resulting from a 0-0 away draw with Manchester City. The Gunners have scored 38 goals in the league this year, averaging 3.4 goals per match.
No team in Europe’s top leagues have scored more goals so far this year. Moreover, they have only conceded four goals since the turn of the year, conceding an average of 0.36 goals per match, with only Inter Milan conceding fewer. Due to this, Arteta’s side boasts the second-best goal difference this season in Europe’s top leagues, with only Inter boasting a better record.
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In their last five league matches, Arsenal beat Sheffield United 6-0 at Bramall Lane comfortably but only just edged past Brentford thanks to another late Havertz goal. Then Arsenal faced league holders Manchester City at the Etihad, resulting in a goalless draw. The two matches after that resulted in two Arsenal wins; a 2-0 home win against Luton Town, and then a 3-0 away to Brighton and Hove Albion. The Gunners sit top of the league with 71 points on goal difference with Liverpool, with third-place Man City only one point behind.
Arsenal topped their Champions League group which consisted of PSV Eindhoven, RC Lens and Europa League winners Sevilla. Within their group, Arteta’s side scored 16 goals, with only Atletico Madrid and Manchester City scoring more. As for Arsenal’s defence, it has been solid all season, as was the case within the group stage, only conceding four goals. Only Real Sociedad had conceded fewer. Due to this Arsenal boasted the best goal difference in the whole competition.
Arsenal were then drawn out against Portuguese side FC Porto. After losing the first leg 1-0 at the Estadio do Dragao, the Gunners won the second leg 1-0 thanks to a Leandro Trossard goal. This led to extra time and penalties, which Arsenal won with David Raya saving two penalties. Arsenal however could only get a draw against Bayern in the first leg in which they were at home.
Injuries News
Arsenal are currently without any injuries. Jurrien Timber, who has been injured through an ACL injury since the start of the season, has returned to training. His last start for the Gunners came in the opening game of the season, where Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest 2-1. Martinelli and Tomiyasu have also returned from injuries in the past few weeks
Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs Aston Villa
GK – Raya
LB -Tomiyasu
CB – Gabriel
CB – Saliba
RB – White
LM – Rice
CM – Partey
RM – Ødegaard
LW – Martinelli
ST – Havertz
RW – Saka
