Arsenal will look to make it four wins in 10 days in all competitions when they take on Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium in the Sunday night pay-per-view Premier League fixture.
Arsenal will be looking to add to their impressive wins against Dundalk and Molde in the UEFA Europa League and a hoodoo breaking victory over Manchester United last weekend. A goal from the spot from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave the Gunners victory at Old Trafford.
Villa are looking to win their first league game since the memorable win over Leicester City when they travel to London on Sunday. Villa's excellent start to the season looks to be falling off the rails with back to back defeats to Leeds United and Southampton respectively. Villa can take some positives from the Saints defeat as they were 4-0 down going into the final third of the game but battled bravely to a respectable 4-3 defeat with two goals in injury time.
Team News
Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns coming into this game and those that were rested for the game against Molde will more than likely return for this one
Winger Bertrand Traore will be injured until after the international break at the earliest with a groin problem.
Goalkeeper Tom Heaton could return to the matchday squad after 10 months out injured.
Predicted Line-ups
Arsenal: Leno, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Bellerin, Thomas, Elneny, Saka, Willian, Aubameyang, Lacazette
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Mings, Konsa, Targett, Luiz, McGinn, Trezeguet, Barkley, Grealish, Watkins
Ones To Watch
The obvious choice for the Gunners is striker Aubameyang. Aubameyang got his first league goal since signing his new Arsenal contract and will be looking to add to that against Villa on Sunday. A goal against Villa will also stop him matching his worst home league scoring record of four games which was set in his time with Borussia Dortmund in 2014. Aubameyang will also be vital in avoiding back to back league home games without a goal for Arsenal.
The One to Watch for Villa is keeper Emiliano Martinez. Martinez will be returning to the Emirates for the first time since his summer move to Villa. Martinez was an Arsenal saviour last season when the main keeper Bernd Leno was injured against Brighton & Hove Albion. Martinez shone for the first time in his eight years at Arsenal and caught the attention of Villa Boss Dean Smith enough for him to sign him for £20 million.
View From The Dugout
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had this to say on his opposition and their star man Jack Grealish: "It is a really competitive side, they have played some very different matches with different approaches to certain matches, having some big results against big teams and after two defeats they need a win as well and they will show that right from the start I think.
Grealish is a top player, great talent, he is player who can make a difference at any moment in the game. He has this personality against any opponent, at any ground, to take the ball in any area of the pitch and he can make the difference, so we have to look after him."
Villa manager Dean Smith had this to say on the job his opposite number has done so far in his pre-match press conference: ""He took over and they went and won the FA Cup. They have started with good performances, so he’s done a fantastic job.
It was a big win for us [last season] that helped us to retain our Premier League status, and we played them in pre-season, so we know a lot about them. "It will be a really tough game, they had a really good result against Manchester United last week and Molde last night."
Where To Watch
Arsenal v Aston Villa is viewable on Sky Sports Box Office at a cost of £14.95. Coverage begins at 19:00 and kicks off at 19:15.