BASEL, SWITZERLAND - DECEMBER 11: Unai Emery, Manager of Aston Villa, is interviewed prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between FC Basel 1893 and Aston Villa FC at St. Jakob-Park on December 11, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Aston Villa/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery will be without a host of players when his team face Arsenal
Aston Villa's final Premier League challenge of 2025 is shaping up to be one of their most significant, as they travel to the Emirates Stadium to play league leaders Arsenal on Tuesday evening.
Unai Emery's team, who sit third in table, are three points behind and therefore hot on the heels of Tuesday night's opposition. A win in the final outing of the calendar year would solidify 's position as title challengers, as they would move level with the .
However, dropping points for the first time in 11 matches would open up a difficult six-point gap to Emery's former club, and also allow Manchester City the opportunity to creep further ahead.
Unai Emery 'doesn't understand' Premier League decision as Aston Villa prepare for Arsenal clash
Villa can at least go to north London confident this won't happen given their impressive ongoing run, which included a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture at earlier in December.
On the verge of squaring off again, both teams have several injuries and absences to manage. Whichever side can overcome their issues will give themselves the best shot at victory, heading into 2026 full of optimism for the second half of the season.
Birmingham LIVE takes a look at the players from both sides who are set to miss out, now that both managers have given comprehensive updates ahead of the showdown.
Pau Torres of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers
Pau Torres missed Villa's last four fixtures with a calf problem, having been taken off in the second half in the reverse fixture earlier in December. Looking ahead to Tuesday, Emery has stated: "Knowing how we are, we are going to train now, two days after playing Chelsea. I want to see how the players are for tomorrow. "Of course, the players who are injured are continuing their process," meaning Torres is not yet ruled out for certain. (Image: (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)) 1 of 12
Tyrone Mings of Aston Villa
Tyrone Mings of Aston Villa
Jamie Gittens of Chelsea and Matty Cash of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa
Matty Cash is a key absentee for Villa against Arsenal. The full-back earned himself a one-game suspension for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season when facing Chelsea at the weekend. (Image: (Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)) 3 of 12