Arsenal vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League team news, line-ups and more today

Aston Villa won the reverse fixture 1-0 earlier this season, as Unai Emery’s side defeated the Gunners and Manchester City in the space of four days at Villa Park.

Emery – though – believes his team’s visit to the Emirates will be a very different challenge.

“It is a different context, different circumstances and not really something other than respecting them,” he said.

“It’s different, the game we played at home in December to the match we are going to play on Sunday.

“There are a lot of the same players fighting but different because we are playing in a different context, they are fighting for the Premier League and we are fighting them trying to keep our fifth position and fighting with Tottenham.”

Here we go again. How can Arsenal respond to the challenge of playing after Manchester City and Liverpool this weekend?

Mikel Arteta has urged his side to give even more as his side look to lift their first league title since 2004.

“We can be in the semi-finals of the Champions League and top of the Premier League so every game is going to define what our future looks like,” he said.

“They are super excited about what we are doing, the way the team is performing, winning matches, they want more.

“We know the task and challenge ahead of us and how good we have to be to win but we will try.”

With both of their Premier League title rivals playing ahead of them this weekend, Arsenal could drop from first place into third before kick-off against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon (4.30pm, Sky Sports Main Event).

The Gunners moved to the Premier League summit following their 3-0 win over Brighton last week, edging ahead of Liverpool on goal difference following the Reds’ draw against Manchester United.

Manchester City are lurking just one point behind and will have first crack at piling the pressure on their rivals in their clash against Luton on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta’s men played out a 2-2 draw in the week in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich. Mistakes cost the Gunners as Serge Gnabry and Harry Kane fired Bayern ahead after Bukayo Saka’s opener before Leandro Trossard levelled the tie.

Arsenal XI: Raya: White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Jorginho, Odegaard, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Jesus

Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Bailey, Tielemans, Iroegbunam, Rogers; McGinn; Watkins

Arsenal vs Aston Villa kicks off at 4.30pm BST on Sunday 14 April 2024 at the Emirates.

The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sport Main Event with coverage beginning at 4pm. Subscribers can stream via the SkyGo app and website.

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Mikel Arteta said his side had some fitness issues following the 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich, but was hopeful Jurrien Timber would be the only member of his squad who is unavailable.

Villa will be without the suspended Douglas Luiz, who picked up his 10th booking of the season and will miss the next two games. Clement Lenglet missed the game against Lille with a “small” injury and joined Matty Cash, Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia, Boubacar Kamara and Jacob Ramsey on the absence list.

Arsenal will hope to maintain their position at the top of the Premier League table when they host Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

The Gunners’ overtook Liverpool thanks to a 3-0 win over Brighton away from home but only have the buffer of a superior goal difference meaning they cannot afford to drop points. The Reds play Crystal Palace earlier in the day and could jump ahead of Mikel Arteta’s team who will be focused on their own gameplan against a tricky Aston Villa side.

Villa come into the match locked in a tight battle for fourth place with Tottenham. Spurs moved ahead of Unai Emery’s midlands side after they drew with Brentford but have a tougher run into the end of the season. If Villa can take points away from the Gunners this afternoon they will be well placed to challenge for the Champions League over the remaining fixtures.

Here’s everything you need to know about the match