Aston Villa v Arsenal preview: Gunners after win to take them top
Sunday 13 December 2015 13:46, UK
Arsenal travel to Villa Park on Super Sunday knowing victory over Remi Garde's side will put them top of the Premier League table, for 24 hours at least.
With league leaders Leicester not playing until Monday, the Gunners can move to the summit with victory over bottom club Aston Villa.
Live Ford Super Sunday
Arsene Wenger's side should also be in high spirits having secured the convincing win needed away at Olympiakos to ensure their qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Villa, meanwhile, have picked up just two points in four games since Garde took over, drawing at home to Manchester City and away at Southampton.
The Villans are marooned at the foot of the table with just six points and find themselves seven points from safety as the season nears its halfway point.
Team news
Jack Grealish has returned to the Aston Villa squad. The 20-year-old midfielder was overlooked for first-team duty against Watford and Southampton following a breach of club discipline.
Leandro Bacuna and Rudy Gestede came off injured against Saints but will be fit for Sunday, although captain Micah Richards is still struggling with the knee problem that ruled him out at St Mary's.
Arsenal have no new injury concerns after their Champions League victory in Greece on Wednesday but will still be without Mikel Arteta (calf) and Alexis Sanchez (hamstring) for the clash with Villa.
Wenger also revealed that Jack Wilshere (calf/shin) will not return until the new year while Tomas Rosicky (knee) is due to return at the end of January.
Opta stats
Aston Villa have gone 14 games without a win, the longest run without a victory in their league history.
Villa have earned more points away from home against Arsenal (20) than they have at home (18) in the Premier League era.
Arsenal have lost none of their last 16 Premier League visits to Villa Park (W9 D7).
Petr Cech has kept 168 clean sheets in the Premier League - just one behind the all-time leading goalkeeper in this category, David James (169).
Olivier Giroud has scored in each of his last four appearances against Aston Villa in all competitions and has currently scored 49 goals in the Premier League.
Paul Merson's prediction
Villa are slightly better under Remi Garde, but you can tell they have no confidence. I know Liverpool were supposed to turn up against Newcastle and turn them over, the same as people expect Arsenal to do on Sunday.
But Newcastle have a bit more about Villa; I look at Villa's team and think: 'Who's going to hurt Arsenal?' I can't see anything but a comfortable win for Arsenal. You try and make a case for Villa, but I struggle.
Arsenal will be bouncing after a big escape in the Champions League group stages. They wasted points last month, and the next few games after Villa - Man City (h), Southampton (a) and Bournemouth (h) - are huge for them. That busy Christmas period always is.
PAUL PREDICTS: 0-3
