Aston Villa vs Arsenal: Villa the last team Arsenal will want to play

[(Aston Villa F.C.) Strength]:
1. Ollie Watkins has scored twice in the last round of the league. He is in good form.
2. Aston Villa F.C. have achieved 6 consecutive wins among all events. They are in good form recently, winning 12 of the last 14 matches.
3. Aston Villa F.C. faced Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. in a high-scoring Premier League match midweek and won 4-3, marking their 8th league victory.
4. Aston Villa F.C. have won all their last 8 home matches, including a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Their recent home performance has been quite strong.
5. Aston Villa F.C. have lost only 1 of the last 6 matches among all events in AH with a good trend.

[(Aston Villa F.C.) Neutral]:
1. Aston Villa F.C. have quietly climbed to third place in the league, with just a one-point gap behind second-placed Manchester City.

[(Arsenal F.C.) Strength]:
1. Mikel Merino has started as the center forward in the midweek league match. He has scored and assisted with outstanding performances, and has now scored in two consecutive league matches.
2. Arsenal F.C. beat Brentford F.C. 2-0 in midweek's Premier League match, achieving their 10th league win this season.
3. Arsenal F.C. have not only won the last match, but also kept their first clean sheet in the last 5 matches among all events, with an improved defense.
4. Arsenal F.C. are currently the league leaders, achieving 33 points in 14 rounds.
5. Arsenal F.C.'s upcoming schedule appears relatively comfortable. After facing Aston Villa F.C. in this round, they will play against Belgian side Club Brugge KV in the UEFA Champions League next midweek, followed by a league match against Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
6. Arsenal F.C. have kept unbeaten in their two league encounters last season against Aston Villa F.C. with 1 win and 1 draw, being at an advantage.
7. Arsenal F.C. have won 3 of the last 4 matches in AH with a good trend.

[(Arsenal F.C.) Weakness]:
1. Arsenal F.C.'s injury list has grown with the addition of Declan Rice and Cristhian Mosquera, both of whom sustained injuries during the midweek match.

[Tips]:
Aston Villa F.C. have been in red-hot form recently, making them a focal point across Europe.

After defeating Brentford F.C. in their midweek league match, they have now won 12 of their last 14 games among all events.

Even as they prepare to face the league leaders, Aston Villa F.C. are motivated in this match with home field advantage.

On the other hand, Arsenal F.C.'s current injury situation is far from ideal, but the team continue to overcome difficulties, securing a victory with all three points in the midweek league match.

In this top-tier clash, the pre-match handicap offers them favorable conditions.

The team also need to grab more points to consolidate their rankings, so we could go for an away win.

[Recommended]:
Arsenal F.C. (-0.5)