Our prediction for this Premier League match:
Arsenal will be aiming to build on a 2-1 win over Tottenham when they take on Aston Villa in the Premier League round 22. The Gunners came from behind to win the North London derby, but they need to keep on making progress if they are to melt Liverpool’s advantage in the standings. Gabriel Martinelli is widely expected to return to the starting XI as Raheem Sterling failed to impress in the local derby, while Riccardo Calafiori could play some part in Saturday’s clash after overcoming his injury.
The Villans, on the other hand, aim to build on back-to-back wins over Leicester City and Everton, but they will have a mountain to climb at Emirates Stadium. In the first half of the season, Arsenal defeated Aston Villa 2-0 at Villa Park, which is yet another reason why we are going to bet on the promotion-chasing hosts. Jhon Duran is back from suspension for the visiting side.
Highlighted Player (Thomas Partey):
After starting his youth career at Odometah, Thomas Partey was spotted by Atletico Madrid scouts in 2011 and he soon joined the Estadio Vicente Calderon outfit. The defensive midfielder, who born in Odumase Krobo, Ghana on 13 June, 1993, played 33 league games for Atletico Madrid B, while making 14 league appearances for the first team.
After ending his loan spells with Mallorca and Almeria, Thomas Partey returned to Atletico Madrid in 2015 and he made his debut for Diego Simeone’s team in a 1-0 win over Espanyol. The Ghanaian footballer played in the 2015/2016 Champions League final against Real Madrid, coming as a substitute in the 116th minute of the game.
Thomas Partey made his Ghana debut in a 2-0 win over Mauritius in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. His main position is defensive midfield, but the Atletico Madrid man is capable of playing as a central midfielder as well. Partey scored two goals for los Rojiblancos in the 2015/2016 La Liga campaign.
Highlighted Team (Aston Villa):
Aston Villa is one of the three clubs that dropped to the Championship at the end of the 2015/2016 Premier League campaign. The Villans host their rivals at Villa Park, the stadium that was opened in 1897 and its’ capacity is 42,682. However, it has to be noted that the highest attendance recorded at the stadium was 76,588 when Aston Villa faced Derby County in the FA Cup back in 1946.
Aston Villa’s fiercest rivals are Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion. Nonetheless, the rivalry between Aston Villa and Wolves and Coventry City is big as well. Aston Villa have won seven First Division (Premier League) trophies, with the team clinching seven FA Cup trophies as well.
The team’s biggest success, though, came in 1982 when they won the European Cup. The Villans defeated Bayern Munich (1-0) in the title game and Peter Withe was named the man of the match.