The Premier League title race takes centre stage on Tuesday night as Arsenal host Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium, with just three points separating the league leaders from Unai Emery’s in-form challengers.
Fresh from beating Chelsea and extending their winning run across competitions, Villa arrive in north London with momentum and belief while Arsenal know victory would strengthen their grip at the summit and underline their credentials as favourites.
Why this Arsenal vs Aston Villa Premier League football clash matters
Arsenal have won their last six Premier League home games and sit top of the table on 42 points after 18 matches. Villa, third on 39 points, are on a remarkable run, having lost only once since early November and already beaten Mikel Arteta’s side earlier this month.
Someone’s streak will end on Tuesday. An Arsenal win would open daylight at the top, while another Villa victory would firmly entrench them in the Premier League title race and potentially invite Manchester City back into contention when they play on New Year’s Day.
Despite scepticism around the sustainability of Villa’s form, Emery’s side keep finding ways to win, often by fine margins. All of their last seven league victories have been by a single goal, and they have earned a league-high 18 points from losing positions this season.
Form, flaws and familiar faces
Villa’s rise has been built on resilience rather than dominance. Underlying metrics place them in the bottom half of the league for expected goals and expected points, yet they continue to defy numbers with late winners and dramatic comebacks including a stoppage-time victory over Arsenal earlier this month that Arteta described as “cruel”.
Both sides head into the match with selection issues. Villa will be without suspended duo Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara, while Arsenal’s injury list remains a concern, although Gabriel Magalhaes has returned ahead of schedule.
Goalscoring is another shared challenge. No Arsenal player has more than five league goals this season, while Villa’s leading scorers Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins have seven and five respectively. Yet Villa have outperformed their expected goals significantly, scoring 29 times from an xG of just under 20.
Emery has played down title talk, insisting Arsenal remain the favourites but Arteta believes Villa’s consistency has earned them a genuine place in the conversation. Tuesday’s Arsenal vs Aston Villa showdown may not decide the title but it could define the shape of the Premier League title race heading into the new year.