Aston Villa are arriving at Emirates Stadium as the team to fear across the Premier League.
The Villans endured a torrid time at the start of the season, failing to score in any of their first four **Premier League**fixtures and going winless in their first five.
But since the start of October, they have only dropped points against Liverpool, closing the gap at the top of the table down to three points.
Tuesday’s fixture will mark the next opportunity for former manager Unai Emery to haunt his old employers Arsenal, and this is also a showdown that should be relished by one player in particular.
Though **Ollie Watkins**is a boyhood fan of the Gunners, he has routinely been a thorn in their side.
Watkins worked his way through the lower leagues of English football, and he earned a transfer from **Brentford**to Villa Park in September 2020. His hat-trick against **Liverpool**in an infamous 7-2 rout were his first three topflight strikes, and the trip to another ‘Big Six’ opponent was his stage to shine.
A disallowed John McGinn goal gave the hosts reprieve after a slow start to the game, but they ultimately went into half time a goal behind. **Matt Target**thrashed a drilled delivery along the face of the six-yard box, and Bukayo Saka was pressured into forcing the ball into the back of his own net.
Not for the first time that campaign, the men of Mikel Arteta searched aimlessly for answers in the final third, and Villa went through the gears. Douglas Luiz lifted an exceptional switch towards Ross Barkley, whose volleyed cross was bundled past the goal line by Watkins to seal the three points.
Three minutes later, the visitors wrapped up their display with a third strike. Jack Grealish roamed free on the counter, threading a pass behind the backline for Watkins to lash beyond Bernd Leno.
Two goals followed for the forward in the next three trips of **Arsenal**to Villa Park, and as Villa transitioned into the custodianship of Emery, they became an even bigger problem for the Gunners.
Emery’s first full season in the Midlands went some way to repairing his reputation. Villa were four points clear of eventual champions **Man City**by the middle of December, and they would go on to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in the history of the club with a top four finish.
A key moment in that journey also marked a gut-wrenching moment for Arsenal. Arteta’s men were coming off a disappointing 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich at the Emirates, knowing that they had to put on a performance for the fans and secure the victory to stay at the top of the Premier League.
The trio of Ben White, Martin Odegaard and **Bukayo Saka**sliced the Villa block on repeat, but the finishing touch was elusive. The visitors slowly but surely grew into the game, and by the midway mark of the second half, they were on an even keel, hitting the crossbar through Youri Tielemans.
Nerves in North London heightened at the sight of a back post finish from Leon Bailey. **Arsenal**pressed the panic button, and Watkins was alert to the opportunity to strike. A misplaced **Jorginho**pass turned over the ball, Watkins ran free on the break, and he chipped the ball over David Raya.
For all of Watkins’ exploits, his place in the starting eleven seemed uncertain at a point. Super sub Jhon Duran was making his mark off the bench, and the January transfer window at the start of this year saw the rumours abound. Was Watkins about to put pen to paper with his childhood club?
Emery would not fuel the media with an exclusion of the English forward, who got the nod over Duran as the striker in his 4-2-3-1 system. However, most of the action in the first 55 minutes went the way of the hosts. Gabriel Martinelli crashed the far post to bury the opening goal of the game, and an inspired Leandro Trossard paved the way towards a second strike from Kai Havertz.
**Arsenal**appeared to be coasting to a vital triumph as they looked to keep pace with runaway league leaders Liverpool. But the guests are superb at exploiting a moment’s weakness, and they did it again.
Tielemans made the first move and converted a Matty Cash cross at the hour mark before the Belgian cracked the bar, coming inches away from an equaliser. Arteta’s men did not heed the warning.
Makeshift right back Thomas Partey briefly lost concentration, allowing Watkins to wander free at the back post and lash home a leveller on the volley. The Gunners then desperately chased a winner, watching a Mikel Merino effort get disallowed for a Havertz handball, but their efforts were in vain.