Few Premier League games carry stakes as high as Arsenal’s clash with Aston Villa on Tuesday night at the Emirates Stadium.
A win for Arsenal would see them extend their lead at the top to five points, entering the second half of the season firmly in control and one step closer to a first title since 2003-04.
Villa, meanwhile, are flying, having won 11 consecutive matches in all competitions. A victory for them would move them level with Arsenal, not only boosting their own title bid but also leaving the door open for Manchester City to overtake the Gunners if they beat Sunderland on New Year’s Day.
With so much at stake, here’s Sports Illustrated’s guide to the fixture, including where to watch, predicted lineups, and key talking points.
Arsenal vs. Aston Villa Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions)
Arsenal Aston Villa
Arsenal 2–1 Brighton & Hove Albion - 27/12/25 Chelsea 1–2 Aston Villa - 27/12/25
Arsenal 1–1 (8–7p) Crystal Palace - 23/12/25 Aston Villa 2–1 Man Utd - 21/12/25
Everton 0–1 Arsenal - 20/12/25 West Ham 2–3 Aston Villa - 14/12/25
Arsenal 2–1 Wolves - 13/12/25 Basel 1–2 Aston Villa - 11/12/25
Club Brugge 0–3 Arsenal - 10/12/25 Aston Villa 2–1 Arsenal - 06/12/25
Country TV Channel/Live Stream
United Kingdom Sky Go UK, NOW, SKY GO Extra, Sky Sports Premier League
United States NBCSN, Peacock
Canada DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network Canada
Mexico FOX One
Gabriel Magalhães
Gabriel is back for Arsenal. / Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images
Arsenal head into the clash with Aston Villa carrying several injury concerns, though most are ongoing issues.
Cristhian Mosquera, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, and Max Downman are all sidelined, while Jurriën Timber remains a doubt. Timber missed the Brighton game after an awkward landing in the cup win over Crystal Palace, which saw Declan Rice step in at right back—a role he could reprise against Villa.
Kai Havertz is nearing a return following a lengthy knee injury layoff, but he is unlikely to feature against Villa just yet.
The biggest boost for Mikel Arteta is the return of Gabriel in central defence. The Brazilian made a substitute appearance against Brighton after more than a month out and is tipped to start, providing a major lift to Arsenal’s backline.
Arsenal could line up like this against Villa.
Arsenal could line up like this against Villa. / FotMob
Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Aston Villa (4-3-3): Raya; Rice, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Ødegaard, Zubimendi, Merino; Saka, Gyökeres, Trossard.
Boubacar Kamara'
Boubacar Kamara is out for the Arsenal clash. / IMAGO/Pro Sports Images
Like Arsenal, Aston Villa head into the clash with a few injury concerns, though none are new. Long-term absentees Ross Barkley, Pau Torres, and Tyrone Mings will all remain sidelined until the New Year.
The bigger concern for Unai Emery is suspensions and short-term absences. Evan Guessand is away with the Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations just as he was hitting form, while Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara will both miss the game through yellow card suspensions triggered by the trip to Chelsea.
Their absences represent a significant blow for Villa—particularly Cash, who would have been key in exploiting Myles Lewis-Skelly’s defensive vulnerabilities at left back.
Villa are without two key players against Arsenal.
Villa are without two key players against Arsenal. / FotMob
Aston Villa predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Bogarde, Konsa, Lindelöf, Maatsen; Tielemans, Onana; McGinn, Rogers, Buendía; Watkins.
Predicting this clash feels like trying to call a winner between Tyson and Ali—both sides have the firepower to land a decisive blow, and it could genuinely go either way.
That said, Aston Villa could edge it.
They’ve been a thorn in Arsenal’s side recently, winning three of the last five encounters, and their current run of form is formidable—11 consecutive wins in all competitions is a club record. Arsenal, while still picking up results, haven’t been as convincing in their performances.
Injuries could also play a key role. Timber’s absence at right back forces Rice out of position and the loss of that stability is a big blow. On top of that, Ollie Watkins is finally hitting form, and he has a habit of troubling the Gunners, scoring six goals in 11 Premier League appearances against them.
Arsenal still have the quality to strike a knockout, but in this instance, Villa’s consistency and momentum give them the edge.
Prediction: Arsenal 1–2 Aston Villa
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