Third-round tie to take place in January

Tottenham will take on Aston Villa while Manchester United host Brighton in the pick of the ties from the third round of the FA Cup.

Aston Villa ball number 3 for tonight's draw

Arsenal feel effects of defensive injuries, Liverpool rue Konaté’s mistakes and Brentford struggle on the road Latest Premier League table | Top scorers When the team sheets landed at Villa Park, Arsenal’s matchday squad again appeared imperious. Their bench included a £64m striker in Viktor Gyökeres, a trio of tricky wingers in Leandro Trossard, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli and arguably England’s most exciting teenagers in Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri. But Arsenal arrived top-heavy, the only centre-back among the substitutes the 16-year-old Marli Salmon. By the time Emiliano Buendía clinched victory for Aston Villa with almost the final kick, it was clear Arsenal lacked the defensive solidity behind their pace-setting start; this defeat was only the fourth time since the start of 2022-23 that Mikel Arteta’s side began a league game without Gabriel Magalhães or William Saliba – and it showed. Cristhian Mosquera, potentially sidelined until the new year, was also absent. The good news for all parties – which probably extends to second-placed Manchester City – is that Arsenal and Villa will duke it out again on 30 December in the reverse fixture. Ben Fisher Continue reading...

Arsenal "must not panic" after defeat at Aston Villa saw Man City close the gap at the top of the Premier League, says Sky Sports' Gary Neville.

Argentine comes off the bench to score with last kick to bring Unai Emery’s soaring side within three points of leaders

Emi Buendía fires dramatic injury-time winner over Gunners

Mikel Merino struggles for Gunners in costly defeat, but Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka impress

Mikel Arteta had acknowledged the hazards that awaited Arsenal, the Premier League’s pacesetters, at Villa Park. Aston Villa inflicted irrecoverable damage on his side in January, Unai Emery’s team rallying from two goals down to earn a point at the Emirates Stadium, a result that left Arsenal lagging behind Liverpool and with too much ground to make up in the title race. Two seasons ago Villa did the double over Arsenal, two late goals earning an away victory in the final weeks of the season that paved the way for Manchester City to pip Arteta’s side to the crown. So Arteta and Arsenal knew the challenge of unpicking a Villa side that had won 12 of their previous 14 matches in all competitions, including eight of their previous nine league matches. Emery equally knew the difficulty of overcoming an Arsenal side who had won 17 of their 21 matches this season and seemingly addressed perceived weaknesses in the summer. Even with Cristhian Mosquera absent with an ankle injury, meaning Jurriën Timber partnered Piero Hincapié at centre-back, they did not look short of quality. It was, of course, Emery whom Arteta succeeded six years ago, tasked with the ultimate aim of reclaiming a title that has eluded them since 2003-04. Continue reading...

Two changes for Arsenal test

⚽ Premier League updates from the 12.30pm GMT kick-off ⚽ Live scores | Table | Villans on the rise again | Mail Barry Good day everybody wherever you might be and here’s hoping you’ve all recovered from the surreal, stilted, extremely long, unintentionally funny and occasionally downright unpleasant experience that was last night’s World Cup draw. Having been tasked with liveblogging that particular fever dream, it’s nice to be back in action for something a little more straightforward and less weird – an actual football match between the top two teams in the Premier League form table: Aston Villa and Arsenal. The top team in the actual Premier League table, Arsenal can increase the gap to their nearest rivals to eight points with a win in today’s early kick-off but will have to beat an Aston Villa side who have won eight of their last nine top flight matches to do so. Mikel Arteta’s side chalked up a fairly routine 2-0 win against Brentford last time out. Continue reading...

As Premier League’s most in-form side prepare to host Arsenal their experience is beginning to look like a superpower In a parallel universe somewhere, Unai Emery is still wrestling with his black puffer coat in his dugout at the Amex Stadium, trying to force his hands through the sleeves, fresh from hurling it to the ground in wild celebration. The adrenaline of Aston Villa’s 4-3 comeback win at Brighton on Wednesday has probably only just faded. He made cinematic viewing and triggered memories of Mario Balotelli struggling to put on a warm-up bib and Tim Sherwood, while Villa manager a decade ago, launching his club-branded jacket towards the turf after Christian Benteke equalised against QPR. By the end, Emery was hoarse and Villa had chalked up an eighth victory in nine Premier League matches, 12 out of 14 in all competitions. Across the past 10 league matches, Villa have accrued a division-high 25 points and in that time only Manchester City have scored more goals and Arsenal conceded fewer. This is the same team that failed to win any of their opening six matches and took three points from their first five league games. At that point Emery was concerned and shared his feelings with his squad, insisting his players raise their performance levels at training and in matches. Belief within an experienced squad – at 27.4 years, the average age of players selected in the league this season is the joint-oldest, with Fulham – did not waver. Continue reading...

Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery praised Mikel Arteta for the way Arsenal are playing this season and has backed his former club as clear favourites for Premier League title.

Aston Villa welcome leaders Arsenal in Saturday’s early kick-off before Manchester City host Sunderland Saturday 12.30pm TNT Sports 1 Venue Villa Park Continue reading...