Arsenal Vs Aston Villa: 5 key players to watch - The relentless Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Arsenal Vs Aston Villa: 5 key players to watch – The relentless Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - AUGUST 11: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC at St. James Park on August 11, 2019 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) /

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LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 01: Giovani Lo Celso of Tottenham Hotspur is challenged by Granit Xhaka of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Emirates Stadium on September 01, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /

4. Granit Xhaka

Oh Granit Xhaka, for how long will you disappoint? For a player of his unquestioned passing ability, you would expect the Swiss international to have a far more positive impact on matches. But time and time again, his athletic limitations, defensive shortcomings and rash decision-making get the better of him.

If Villa do sit deep and soak up pressure as anticipated, Xhaka could have a strong performance. This is the type of game that he excels in; when given time of the ball to dictate play and spray passes from deep, he is very effective, very much akin to a quarterback throwing darts from deep midfield.

Conversely, if Villa can expose Xhaka and make him defend vast spaces, they will get joy on the counter-attack. The midfielder is cumbersome, to say the least, when tracking runners and can beat fairly easily. If Xhaka can dictate play, Arsenal will have a good chance, but at the very same time, he can be a liability, and Villa will try to exploit his weaknesses.