Another Arsenal tie to increase pressure on Arteta
Having had Monday night billing for their London derby against Crystal Palace, Arsenal will also have Friday evening in the same week at the Emirates, this time hosting a similarly inconsistent Aston Villa outfit. The Gunners' last-gasp equaliser paints a picture of another struggle this season to challenge for a European place, despite not having the 'burden' of those fixtures in 2021/2022. Read our preview here:
Major Tom
One of the better aspects of Mikel Arteta's team to date has been just how well Japanese international Takehiro Tomiyasu has settled into the side in the hitherto problematic right-back berth. His understanding down that flank with Bukayo Saka has been encouraging, although he will have to deal without his teammate in all likelihood on Friday, whilst simultaneously having a thorough examination of his early form by Emi Buendía, who will almost certainly drift leftwards into space to create more angles to supply the visitors' front two. Elsewhere, Alexandre Lacazette's timely intervention from the bench could hand him a start, especially if Saka doesn't pass a late fitness test.
Emi award
Such is the importance of Dean Smith's South American contingent that both goalkeeper Emi Martínez and Douglas Luiz were passed as fit to play at the weekend, fewer than 24 hours after landing back in the country because of their international exploits. Despite their inclusions, the Birmingham outfit were the worse off in a five-goal thriller with local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, and the defensive fragility as a whole continues to hold them back. The custodian between the sticks will, as ever, have extra incentive to put in a superb performance against the club that allowed him to leave for another top tier side, rather than present him a clear pathway to becoming first choice. Leon Bailey remains a doubt, but otherwise, they are close to full strength.
Gunner stagnate
Arsenal have the unenviable record of scoring fewer than matches played, in spite of the two they accrued on Monday. All things being equal, that should rectify itself somewhat over the course of the rest of the campaign. The real battle is going to be keeping Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga available for the majority of matches; without the dual pivot, Arteta looks bereft of ideas and options to turn defence into attack. Parimatch have odds of 3.30 for over 3.5 goals, and given Aston Villa's strength in the final third and weakness in their own, that looks assured.
