Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal: Predictions & expected points from 5 upcoming fixtures

By Ross Kennerley

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta celebrates on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 26, 2021. - Arsenal won the game 3-1. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Ian KINGTON / IKIMAGES / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by IAN KINGTON/IKIMAGES/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta celebrates on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 26, 2021. - Arsenal won the game 3-1. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Ian KINGTON / IKIMAGES / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by IAN KINGTON/IKIMAGES/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Aston Villa
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 08: Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Aston Villa. (Photo by Alastair Grant – Pool/Getty Images) /

Arsenal vs Aston Villa – Premier League

How many times will Emiliano Martinez give interviews in the build-up to this one? Plenty. How many times will his name be mentioned in general? Endlessly.

It could, and should, be a case of revenge on the cards here. Aston Villa won both these fixtures last season – one very comfortably and the other less so – and Dean Smith will have those matches fresh in his memory as he aims for another scalp.

In the 3-0 home defeat it was Villa’s interchangeability that tore Arsenal to shreds: Jack Grealish, John McGinn and Ollie Watkins were ruthless in that excruciating November dismantlement.

Boasting more capable right-backs in transition (not Bellerin) and centre-backs who save the dancing for the clubs (not Holding) Arsenal are better equipped to deal with Villa’s threat. Adding Emi Buendia, Danny Ings and Leon Bailey to their front line has invigorated them after Grealish’s departure and they continue to look a threat down wide areas and in those pesky transitions.

Even in matches where they’ve lost they’ve been unfortunate (Chelsea away) and Smith has got his side bursting with energy and fitness, running endlessly in fixtures and chasing down all lost causes.

Pinning a tail on this donkey ends up somewhere around score draw. After all, both teams like shipping a goal or two.

Score prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Aston Villa

Match prediction: Both goals in the second half

Continued…

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