Preview: Arsenal seek revenge at Villa Park
When the 2013/14 Premier League campaign kicked-off at the Emirates, Aston Villa came away with the full three points. The Arsenal faithful were left frustrated and annoyed at the fact that the club had yet to bring in a big name, but then arrived Mesut Özil on deadline day.
After that defeat, not many would have expected the league standings to look as they do right now. Arsenal could move into the top spot once again with a victory at Villa Park, while Villa are 11th, and could move above Hull City with at least one point.
The Gunners come into Monday's match on a good run of form. Since their 6-3 defeat at the Etihad against Manchester City, Arsene Wenger's side have only conceded one goal, while winning four and drawing one in all competitions.
Aston Villa have not been as impressive, winning only one of their last five fixtures. Three successive defeats against Manchester United, Stoke City and Crystal Palace had Paul Lambert on pins and needles, but they have since earned four points from their last two.
For this Monday Night Football match, Arsene Wenger will be without Theo Walcott, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Other notable absences will be Thomas Vermaelen and Kieran Gibbs who have picked up a knee injury. Olivier Giroud will get the start up top, after he was rested in Arsenal's FA Cup clash with Tottenham.
Dealing with an in-form Arsenal squad will not be easy, and Paul Lambert is well aware of that. The hosts have not defeated the Gunners in their last six visits to Villa Park.
They will have to overcome the odds without long-term absentees Libor Kozak, Jores Okore and Charles N'Zogbia. Meanwhile, Nathan Baker, Ron Vlaar and Joe Bennett will face late fitness tests.
A defeat on Monday for Villa would be a cause for concern, seeing as they are just five points from the relegation zone. With their next match coming at Anfield against Liverpool, Paul Lambert could be up against even more pressure if his side are unable to grab at least one point on Monday night.
Where to watch this match - live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal live on Monday, January 13, 2014:
In Canada at 15:00 ET on: Sportsnet World Online, TalkSport Radio
In the UK at 20:00 BST on: Sky Go, Sky Sports 1 Ireland, Sky Sports 1/HD, BBC Radio 5 Live, Arsenal Player, BBC One, NOW TV
In the USA at 15:00 ET on: Benfica TV, NBC Sports Live Extra, TalkSport Radio, NBCSN, SiriusXM FC
This fixture could see Arsenal climb into the top spot for another week, so you will not want to miss this match. Be sure to visit the Aston Villa vs Arsenal match page for full TV listings.
