Aston Villa vs. Arsenal: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream and TV Info
Arsenal's Arsene Wenger will come up against a familiar face in the opposing dugout at Villa Park. Remi Garde was the first signing sanctioned by Wenger once he'd agreed to take over as Gunners boss; now he is locking horns with his former gaffer as the manager of Aston Villa.
He faces an enormous task. Villa are one of just seven teams to have competed in every season of the Premier League. However, that distinguished record is now under very real threat, with Garde's men languishing at the foot of the table.
A win over Arsenal would be the ideal way to kickstart his reign and inject some momentum into what has been a disastrous season.
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That's far easier said than done. The Gunners were excellent in their last outing against Olympiakos, getting the comfortable win they required to secure safe passage into the next round of the Champions League. With two victories in the last week under their belt, Arsenal will expect to come away from Villa Park with all three points.
Date: Sunday, December 12
Time: 1.30 p.m. GMT/8.30 p.m. ET
Location: Villa Park, Birmingham
Television coverage: Sky Sports 1 / Sky Sports 1 HD (U.K. only), NBCSN (U.S. only)
Streaming: Sky Go (U.K. only)
Form
Aston Villa
L (3-1) vs. Tottenham
D (0-0) vs. Manchester City
L (4-0) vs. Everton
L (2-3) vs. Watford
D (1-1) vs. Southampton
Arsenal
L (2-1) vs. West Brom
W (3-0) vs. Dinamo Zagreb
D (1-1) vs. Norwich
W (3-1) vs. Sunderland
W (0-3) Olympiakos
These teams met three times last season, including May's FA Cup final. Over the course of 2014/15, Arsenal beat Aston Villa by an aggregate score of 12-0.
Villa have now gone a club-record 14 games without a win, and Garde would surely have preferred an easier fixture in which to try to end that nightmarish run.
The Managers
Garde and Wenger share a close relationship, so it's no great surprise to hear the Villa boss showering his Arsenal counterpart with praise. Speaking to Sky Sports, the former Lyon coach said:
"I've got a lot of admiration because I realise how tough this job is in the Premier League, how difficult it is to keep a job and get results.
This is the first side (of the job) and then I remember the club at Arsenal 20 years ago without training facilities, without a modern stadium like they have today.
All this has to be credited to Arsene. A football club is not only the results you get today but also how you will build for the future for yourself or for another manager for or another chairman or owner.
"
Garde will surely aspire to build a similar legacy for himself at Villa Park, but first he must deal with the more immediate priority of keeping his club in the division.
The respect between the pair appears to ne mutual. Prior to Garde's appointment, Wenger spoke out in his favour. The Gunners boss said, per Neil McLeman of the Mirror:
"Remi is an intelligent man who has experience in Lyon now. He will try to get his ideas through, the ideas he got through in Lyon and hopefully it can work."
Garde's impact has not been immediate, but Wenger is a long-term proponent of managerial stability. If Garde is to impose his philosophy upon the Villa side, it may take some time.
Team News
Aston Villa
After picking up minor injuries last weekend, Leandro Bacuna and Rudy Gestede are both fit again and available for selection. What's more, young midfielder Jack Grealish is once again under consideration for a starting place.
Unfortunately for Villa, skipper Micah Richards will not be ready to face the Gunners. In a painful season, his performances have been a rare highlight. Garde will have to hope Jores Okore and Joleon Lescott can fill the gap left by Richards' absence.
Predicted Aston Villa line-up (4-3-3): Brad Guzan; Alan Hutton, Jores Okore, Joleon Lesoctt, Leandro Bacuna; Carlos Sanchez, Jordan Veretout, Idrissa Gueye; Jack Grealish, Jordan Ayew, Rudy Gestede
Arsenal
Arsenal's team is likely to be identical to the one that faced Olympiakos in midweek, with no players having returned from their length injury list.
That means Theo Walcott should continue as Alexis Sanchez's deputy on the flank, with Joel Campbell keeping his place ahead of the fit-again Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Predicted Arsenal line-up (4-2-3-1): Petr Cech; Hector Bellerin, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal; Mathieu Flamini, Aaron Ramsey; Joel Campbell, Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott; Olivier Giroud
Players to watch
Aston Villa: Jack Grealish
Exciting young midfielder Grealish fell foul of Remi Garde when he was spotted out partying in the wake of the 4-0 defeat at Everton. However, after initially being banished to train with the U21s, Grealish has since been welcomed back into the fold.
The youngster will certainly be motivated to impress his disapproving boss. Garde told the BBC:
"He is a talented young player but only Jack knows if he has learned. I'll still be close with him. I have the feeling Jack needs to be more disciplined, this way I feel he can improve his game."
Garde cannot afford to make an enemy of a player with Grealish's gifts. If they are to overcome Arsenal, the midfielder's creative talents will be essential.
Arsenal: Olivier Giroud
The powerful French forward comes into this game fresh off the back of claiming his first Gunners hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Olympiakos. The treble means he now has 10 goals in his last 12 games, and a tally of 13 for the season.
After losing his place earlier in the campaign, Giroud has fought back superbly. His response has earned the admiration of his manager. Wenger said, per Arsenal.com:
"He has gone through this calendar year with ups and downs but overall it is typical Olivier Giroud. That means when it doesn’t work, he puts effort in.
I believe recently he has come back with an improved game and with his finishing.
If you look at the number of games and the number of goals, you have to give him credit. He’s not only a goalscorer, he’s a guy who puts work in for the team. I think he’s among the best strikers in Europe.
"
Villa's defence will have to be far sturdier than it has been for much of the season if it's to keep a resurgent Giroud at bay.
James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.
