Arsenal’s weekend opposition Aston Villa currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League table, eight points from safety. It is the type of match that the Gunners will be expected to win comfortably, especially if they want to firmly establish themselves as title contenders coming out of the Christmas season. Fresh off of a famous 3-0 victory in Greece Wednesday against Olympiacos, Arsenal will need to avoid a letdown against the Villains.
As so many struggling clubs do mid-season, Villa changed managers in November, appointing former Arsenal defender Remi Garde as the man to replace Tim Sherwood, and Villa have posted a couple of improved results since the change, including draws against Southampton and title-contenders Manchester City. Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger knows that his squad will face a Villa side with a different mindset than the one that saw them fall to the bottom of the table.
Wenger,speaking with the assembled media in his pre-match news conference, believes that Garde is the right man to lead Villa going forward, and that he may be the man to rescue them from what looks at the moment to be certain relegation.
I spoke with him before he took the job, now I let him work. But he has the competence and intelligence. He has a good team around him, he is at a big club, so I let him work.
I know a little bit of Aston Villa, we played them in the FA Cup final last year and they are a similar side. They added some French players, like Idrissa Gueye, Jordan Veretout, Jordan Ayew, Jordan Amavi so they are a bit more French.
These French players didn’t play a lot until recently. Remi knows them well and started them recently at Southampton. I know a little bit of what is expected of us.
Speaking about his own squad, Wenger knows that full concentration and effort will be required after such an emotionally taxing victory mid-week. The Premier League is now the Gunners’ primary focus.
The Premier League, we know by experience now, we have to focus on our performance to come out in a positive way with a strong result. It is very important that straight away after Wednesday night that we show we can focus on the Premier League.
Aston Villa host Arsenal at Villa Park this Sunday at 13:30 BST. An Arsenal victory would see them go top of the table at least until Monday’s tilt between Leicester City and Chelsea.
