Aston Villa v Arsenal: match preview

Saturday, November 27

Aston Villa v Arsenal
Villa Park
Kick-off: 12.45 GMT
TV: Live Sky Sports 2 & highlights, BBC1 Match of the Day.

Aston Villa (Probable, 4-5-1): Friedel; L Young, Dunne, Collins, Warnock; Downing, Pires, Ireland, Bannan, A Young; Agbonlahor.
Arsenal (Probable, 4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy; Song, Denilson; Nasri, Wilshere, Arshavin; Chamakh.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg. Matches: 11. R2 Y31.

Tale of the game

This could see former Arsenal favourite Robert Pires face his former club. Pires left Arsenal in 2006 and returned to the Premier League last week, making his Villa debut as a 69th minute substitute in the 2-0 defeat at Blackburn.

Arsenal have an impressive record at Villa Park, where they have not lost in the Premier League for nearly 12 years.

Villa last beat Arsenal at home in December 1998; since they, in 11 visits, Arsenal have drawn six and won five.

Arsenal have won 14 points away from home, from 21, with only one defeat away from the Emirates. And Arsenal have lost just three of their 18 Premier League visits to Villa Park.

But they face a Villa side yet to lose at home, though Gerard Houllier’s team have drawn more home games, four, than they have won (three).

Under Houllier Villa have won just two out of their nine Premier League games, at Wolves and at home to Blackpool.

Arsenal will be determined to make amends for last weekend’s 3-2 home defeat by Tottenham, when they lost back-to-back home games in the Premier League (after the defeat by Newcastle) for the first time since December 1997.

They will be relieved to be playing away. The defeat on Saturday was their third home loss, the first time they have lost as many at home before the end of November in the Premier League.

Villa be without Marc Albrighton for at least three weeks after he went down with appendicitis and also miss Stiliyan Petrov, Andrea Wiemann, Emile Heskey, Steve Sidwell, Fabian Delph, Habib Beye and John Carew. Carlos Cuéllar and Nigel Reo-Coker undergo tests.

James Collins is expected to return from a calf problem but with Jonathan Hogg doubtful with an ankle injury, Pires’ chances of starting have increased.

Arsenal, meanwhile, suffered the loss of Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Eboué following the 2-0 midweek defeat against Braga in Portugal.

They test Manuel Almunia but miss Thomas Vermaelen, Abou Diaby, Aaron Ramsey and Emmanuel Frimpong.

Last season: Villa 0 Arsenal 0, Arsenal 3 Villa 0.

Stat of the game: Villa need three goals for 150 at home against Arsenal in league football.

Betting tip: Arsenal have to bounce back. Suggest a 1-0 away win at 7-1.