Arsenal welcome Aston Villa to the Emirates on Tuesday 30 December (8:15pm) in a fixture that feels like a genuine yardstick for both sides. Arsenal have been setting the pace at the top, while Villa arrive in the kind of form that turns a strong season into a serious statement. With the festive schedule squeezing recovery time, it’s also a test of depth and decision-making as much as talent.
Arsenal’s last match was a 2–1 home league win over Brighton on 27 December, a result that kept their momentum moving even as injuries continued to bite. Aston Villa’s most recent outing was a second half comeback 2–1 league win at Chelsea the same weekend, another high-level scalp that underlined how confident and clinical Unai Emery’s side have been in big moments.
In terms of league form over the last six, Arsenal’s run is strong: four wins, one draw and one defeat. The only blemish in that stretch was the 2–1 loss at Villa Park on 6 December, settled late, which gives this match an obvious edge of revenge. Villa’s numbers are even louder: they’ve won their last six league games, and the feeling around them is of a side that finds solutions in different ways — whether through controlled possession, quick transitions, or late-game composure.
The injury picture is a key part of the build-up. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been juggling defensive disruption, with Jurrien Timber a concern after a training issue and Riccardo Calafiori picking up a knock in the build-up to the Brighton game. Ben White has also been sidelined, and Arteta has had to shuffle roles to cover gaps, including using Declan Rice deeper or wider when required. There is at least one lift: Gabriel Magalhães has recently been back involved, giving Arsenal an important option in the middle of the defence. Further forward, Kai Havertz has been working his way back towards contention, but remains a late decision rather than a certainty.
Villa’s selection conversation is shaped by two things: the quick turnaround after their win at Chelsea, and international absences. They will be without Evann Guessand, who is away at the Africa Cup of Nations, reducing attacking options from the bench. Beyond that, Emery’s focus has largely been on managing minutes across a settled core, with late checks expected for bumps and bruises that inevitably accumulate during this part of the season.
As for players in form, Arsenal’s attacking direction continues to run through Bukayo Saka, who remains their most reliable source of creativity and threat from wide areas, while Martin Ødegaard and Declan Rice set the tempo and structure that makes them hard to play through. Up front, Viktor Gyökeres has given Arsenal a sharper edge in the penalty area, offering presence and movement that stretches back lines. For Villa, Morgan Rogers has been delivering decisive contributions in recent weeks, Ollie Watkins remains the reference point for their forward play, and Emiliano Buendía has shown he can swing matches with big moments — including against Arsenal earlier this month.
Tactically, this has all the makings of a chess match. Arsenal at home will want sustained pressure, territory and controlled aggression, using their wide players to pin Villa’s full-backs and create repeat entries into the box. Villa, meanwhile, are comfortable without dominating possession — they can sit in shape, break with speed, and punish small lapses with ruthless efficiency. Set pieces and second balls could be huge, especially if the match tightens into a series of mini-battles rather than an open shootout.
It’s a fixture loaded with narrative and consequence: Arsenal looking to settle the score and protect their position, Villa looking to prove that their winning run belongs at the very top of the league conversation. With form strong on both sides and squads stretched by December, the difference may come down to who handles the key moments — and who keeps their nerve when the game swings.
