Arsenal is facing potential defensive setbacks as two of its key players, Gabriel Magalhaes and Jakub Kiwior, were absent from the team’s final training session before their crucial Premier League match against Aston Villa on Sunday.
After Manchester City’s dominant 5-1 victory over Luton Town on Saturday, Arsenal slipped to the second position in the Premier League table. However, they have the opportunity to regain the top spot with a victory against Aston Villa.
Gabriel has been struggling with an Achilles injury for the past month and was notably absent from Friday’s training. His absence raises concerns about his availability for Sunday’s match. Kiwior, who was substituted at halftime during Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in the Champions League, was also missing from Saturday’s training session.
In their absence, Takehiro Tomiyasu, who trained with the team, could step in at center-back. Additionally, Oleksandr Zinchenko, who replaced Kiwior against Bayern, remains an option for Mikel Arteta.
On the other hand, Aston Villa will have to navigate the match without midfielder Douglas Luiz due to a suspension. Despite sitting fourth in the Premier League, tied with Tottenham on 60 points but with a better goal difference, Aston Villa has struggled recently, winning only one of their last five league games.
A noticeable weakness for Aston Villa has been their defensive vulnerability in recent matches. Brentford managed to score three goals in their 3-3 draw last weekend, all originating from Sergio Reguilon’s crosses on Villa’s right side. This trend has been consistent, with many goals coming from attacks on Villa’s flanks.
Given this pattern, Arsenal’s strategy could involve overloading the wide areas to challenge Aston Villa’s full-backs. In their previous match against Brighton & Hove Albion, Arsenal utilized Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus in wide positions to exploit the opponent’s narrow formation, leading to a penalty and an opening goal.
If Arsenal can effectively capitalize on Aston Villa’s defensive weaknesses, they stand a strong chance of securing a crucial victory on Sunday.
