Aston Villa vs Arsenal: Can they bring down the Gunners?

06/12/2025 08:30:00 soccer

Can an Aston Villa hitting their stride under Unai Emery be strong enough to hand Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal their second Premier League loss this season?

The defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on August 30 remains Arsenal’s sole loss after 14 matches. Sunderland, Man City, and Chelsea have only secured one point each against Arsenal. This highlights the Gunners’ impressive power and has sparked opinions that this season’s Premier League trophy may well be theirs to lose.

Leading with worry

However, challenges continue to plague Arteta’s squad. The 2-0 win over Brentford solidified Arsenal’s top spot, maintaining a 5-point lead over second-place Man City. Yet, this victory came at a high price, with injuries to Declan Rice and Cristian Mosquera, both of which will significantly affect Arteta’s tactical setup.

Rice is considered the best midfielder in the Premier League this season, possessing creative vision and leadership qualities unmatched by any other Arsenal midfielder. Finding a replacement for the former West Ham player won’t be easy for Arteta, despite Martin Odegaard’s return from injury and the presence of other quality midfielders like Zubimendi, Merino, Nwaneri, and Norgaard.

Mosquera’s absence, however, is the most concerning issue at Emirates Stadium right now. Arsenal’s defense has become fragile as center-backs are sidelined one after another. Gabriel suffered a thigh injury while on international duty with Brazil and is out long-term. William Saliba has had a training setback, and although there’s hope he’ll recover in time for the upcoming Aston Villa match, no exact return date has been confirmed. In the recent Brentford game, when Mosquera had to leave due to injury, Arteta was forced to deploy right-back Jurrien Timber as a center-back.

The solidity of Arsenal’s defense has limited them to conceding just 7 goals in 14 Premier League matches, the lowest tally so far. Defenders like Saliba and Gabriel have also become Arsenal’s dangerous weapons during set pieces, and if either of these players doesn’t return soon, this threat could diminish.

Will Villa overcome Arsenal with long-range shots?

Villa’s strength lies in their powerful long-range shooting

Visiting Villa Park will pose a tough challenge for Arsenal. Aston Villa is on a roll with six consecutive wins across all competitions and quietly climbed to third place after a 4-3 victory over Brighton midweek. Few expected this turnaround given Emery’s side began the season with six winless games, and at one point, the Spanish coach was among those at risk of early dismissal.

Aston Villa’s resurgence is largely fueled by goals from outside the box. Boubacar Kamara’s strike in the 1-0 win against Wolves last weekend marked their ninth long-range goal this season. Emery’s team hasn’t become sharpshooters from distance by chance; they have several players with impressive shooting ability from afar, including McGinn, Buendia, Rogers, Onana, and Kamara. Even defender Matty Cash has scored twice from long-range efforts. Emery isn’t overly concerned about his players attempting shots from afar: "The players are encouraged to shoot freely, making them more dangerous. Of course, we want more ways to score. We need goals from various methods."

A club proficient in long-range finishing like Aston Villa will pose a significant threat to Arsenal if their defense suffers personnel disruptions and Rice is missing in midfield. On the other hand, Arteta can still see a chance for victory thanks to Bukayo Saka’s form revival and Mikel Merino’s impressive performances as a striker.

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