Harry Redknapp shocked by what he’s predicting for Arsenal v Aston Villa
Harry Redknapp expressed his shock at his own prediction having picked out Arsenal defender Gabriel as the one to watch ahead of the clash with Aston Villa.
The Villans travel to the Emirates on Saturday evening to face the Gunners in what could prove to be their biggest test of the season yet.
Arsenal have their own aspirations of winning the title while Villa will be hoping to boost their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League but Redknapp highlighted Gabriel as the player to watch in the encounter with the hosts predicted to win 2-1.
In his predictions via Bet Victor [18 January], Redknapp said: “I know people joke about the number of goals [Arsenal] score from set-pieces, but Mikel Arteta won’t care, they look like scoring from every corner!
“Aston Villa look like they’re beginning to find their best form to me. It’s never easy to win at Everton and they were pretty comfortable in that game.
“Villa obviously won here last season, and Unai Emery must love going back to Arsenal and winning. I just think the Gunners will have too much here though.
“One to watch – I can’t believe I’m picking a centre-back, but Gabriel is just such a threat. The number of goals he scores is unbelievable and he’s a top defender as well.”
Aston Villa need to avoid conceding set pieces v Arsenal
While it’s easier said than done, Villa simply can’t afford to hand the Gunners opportunities from set pieces which, in the absence of Bukayo Saka, is their most likely source of goals.
If you can prevent that, you give yourself an excellent chance to get something from the game which given the magnitude of the clash, could be huge for Villa.
Unai Emery’s side sit just three points outside of the Champions League spots and a win could be enough to catapult them into the top four.
It will undoubtedly be a tight contest but certainly one that Villa are more than capable of getting something out of if they can stick to their game plan and prevent that of Arsenal.
In other Aston Villa news, this Chelsea defender has been linked with a switch to Villa Park.
For more Aston Villa news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.