Villa face Arsenal with English talent set to impress

Both Aston Villa and Arsenal come into tomorrow’s match on the back of disappointing results.

The Gunners lost 2-1 away to Wolves, in which David Luiz received a red card, sparking another talking point into VAR and it’s efficiency in the Premier League. Villa come into this fixture on the back of three losses in their last five and sit ninth in the Premier League. One place above Arsenal in tenth. 

Mikel Arteta confirmed that Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang will be fit to face Dean Smith’s men. The Gabonese striker and Arsenal’s captain only has five goals this season. 

The Gunners are missing David Luiz and Bernd Leno after their respective dismissals against Wolves. The German has impressed in recent games for Arsenal, keeping five clean sheets in six games before the defeat to Wolves. Mat Ryan looking like the most likely option to go in between the sticks on Saturday. 

England hopeful Jack Grealish will be looking to impress against the Gunners for a shot at playing for England in next summer’s Euros.

Grealish has impressed for the Three Lions in recent Nations League matches and friendlies, making him the favourite to start for England over James Maddison, Mason Mount, Phil Foden and Aston Villa teammate Ross Barkley. Grealish hasn’t lost to Arsenal in his last two games against the London side and got two assists in Aston Villa’s recent match at the Emirates when they ran out 3-0 winners – in which Ollie Watkins bagged a brace. 

Grealish comes up against outsider Arsenal’s Emile Smith-Rowe who has an outside chance of being picked to play for England this summer. Arsenal’s attacking midfielder has three assists in eight Premier League appearances this season and one goal against Newcastle in the FA Cup.

He’s burst on the scene, and if he keeps impressing for Arsenal, who have recovered from a shaky start, then Gareth Southgate would have to consider him in the Euros next summer. 

Since Smith-Rowe has come into the Arsenal side, they’ve only lost once in the eight games. He’s transformed Arsenal from a team in the bottom half of the table to a team currently in mid-table and aiming for European qualification, seven points off West Ham who sit fifth.

An excellent performance from Grealish will only further his chances of getting picked. In contrast, a fantastic performance from Smith-Rowe will leave Gareth Southgate with a headache as to which attacking midfielder he’s going to choose for England for the summer’s Euros. Who will come out on top?

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