Unai Emery axes forward in three changes – Aston Villa predicted XI vs Arsenal
Unai Emery will be forced into making changes against Arsenal on Tuesday.
Aston Villa’s 2-1 win over Chelsea has fuelled even more excitement among fans that they are in firmly in the title race.
Ollie Watkins’s sensational brace ensured Villa won their 11th game in a row, and there seems to be nothing that can stop them at this moment in time.
However, they face their toughest game on paper as they face league leaders Arsenal at the Emirates, where a win could see them move level on points with Mikel Arteta’s men.
However, due to suspensions to Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara, Emery will likely recall Lamare Bogarde and Emi Buendia to the starting lineup, while Watkins will undoubtedly replace Donyell Malen.
Ollie Watkins to replace Donyell Malen among three changes
Villa beat Arsenal 2-1 on 6 December, but they’ll have to field a very different lineup from the one that was triumphant at the start of the month.
Watkins started the season slowly and has failed to show signs of consistency despite Villa’s impressive form.
However, Malen was ineffective against Chelsea, and Watkins’ double proved exactly why he still has the quality to lead the line for the Villans.
| Watkins vs Arsenal | |
| Appearances | 11 |
| Wins | 4 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Goals scored | 6 |
| Assists | 0 |
Cash and Kamara both picked up their fifth yellow cards of the season at Stamford Bridge, meaning they are unavailable for Tuesday’s clash.
Emery has placed great faith in Bogarde to deputise when needed, and his development has skyrocketed despite the lack of consistent minutes.
Although he has mainly played in midfield this season, Villa’s lack of options at right-back means he’ll likely be deployed there to replace Cash.
With Kamara out, Youri Tielemans should drop back into holding midfield, allowing for Buendia to play behind Watkins in the final change.
It’s obviously not ideal for Emery to be without several starters, although Villa have shown that they are able to secure unlikely wins with limited resources in the past.
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Why John McGinn will be Villa’s most important man on the pitch
McGinn has thrived on the right-hand side, despite being a central midfielder by nature.
Despite not possessing any speed, the Scotland international tucks into the midfield, making it very hard for teams to play through Villa centrally.
Although Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins are the difference makers in the team, McGinn’s role at nullifying Arsenal’s left side is key.
A lot of focus goes into how the Gunners build up on the right through Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber.
However, this frequently leaves the likes of Eberechi Eze, Trossard, and Riccardo Calafiori open on the opposite flank.
Despite the fact that Myles Lewis-Skelly will start in place of Calafiori on Tuesday, all three of those players possess a threat that cannot be ignored.
If McGinn doubles up Trossard, and later Gabriel Martinelli when he comes on, then Arsenal will find themselves very frustrated as the game progresses.
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