Aston Villa Vows To Gun Down Arsenal at Villa Park, As Manchester City Tackle Sunderland
By Tanko Bauka
Aston Villa started the league badly with results not going their way, but things have begun to change as Unai Emery, the head coach, was able to inculcate self-belief and confidence into the players, and they have started to deliver.
This weekend, as they prepare to welcome the league leader Arsenal to the Villa Park stadium, they will be full of confidence, going by their previous results against the Gunners.
Aston Villa over the years have been a stumbling block as Arsenal always struggled against them but this is a different Arsenal all around because the team has been reinforced with more depth and players with a winning mentality, though the league leaders are currently experiencing injuries to key players the visitors would be a hard knock for the home team to crack easily as usual.
Mikel Arteta and his boys are fully aware that they cannot allow any luxury of slip, knowing fully that other teams are breathing closely behind them and are ever ready to bounce back, and both teams would give their best shot for the three points at stake.
Newcastle United host Burnley at Saint James Park while Tottenham Hotspurs are yet to find their rhythm this season due to their inconsistency, especially at home entertain Brentford.
Thomas Frank’s coaching credentials have been under scrutiny since he took over at Tottenham Hotspur, and the Dane is finding it increasingly difficult to turn things around, but they would want to use the Brentford visit to win back the supporters who seem to have deserted the team.
Enzo Maresca and his Chelsea team yet to come to term with what hit them and are still in pain over the shock 3-1 defeat at Elland Road to Leeds United would be on the road again to confront AFC Bournamount and the home team after their shocked 1-0 loss to Everton would see Chelsea visit as an opportunity to make amend, especially in front of their supporters but Chelsea cannot afford to lose any further ground especially at this critical stage of the league.
Leeds United is full of confidence with the feat against Chelsea, welcome the defending Champion Liverpool to see if they will pile up more pressure on Arne Slot and his Liverpool side, while Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City welcome impressive Sunderland to the Etihad Stadium to continue with the momentum of catching the league leader Arsenal, as Everton tackle Nottingham Forest.
Brighton and Hove Albion battle West Ham United while Fulham engage Crystal Palace in a London affair with relegation-threatened Wolves welcoming Manchester United in the Monday night football.
In the Spanish La Liga, Villarreal would be at the yellow submarine stadium, welcoming Getafe, while Deportivo Alaves entertain Real Sociedad, with Real Betis hosting FC Barcelona, to see if they would dent their title credentials, as Athletic Bilbao confront Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid are yet to come to terms with how they allow a five-point lead to slip and are now second as they have been overtaken by FC Barcelona.
They will welcome Celta Vigo to the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in the capital city, while Elche battle Girona, and Valencia take on Sevilla, as Espanyol host Rayo Vallecano.
In the Italian Serie A, Inter Milan take on Cesc Fabregas Como at San Siro stadium, while Sassuolo host Fiorentina, with Hellas Verona welcoming Ademola Lookman Atalanta.
The Star match for the week pitches the defending Champion Napoli against Juventus at the Diego Maradona stadium, while Torino host AC Milan, with Lazio taking on Bologna, as Cagliari host AS Roma, and Udinese entertain Genoa.
In the German Bundesliga, FC Augsburg host Bayer Leverkusen while Stuttgart entertain the league leader Bayern Munich, as RB Leipzig battle Eintracht Frankfurt.
Koln welcome FC St Pauli as Wolfsburg take on Union Berlin, while Burussia Dortmund welcome Hoffenheim, with Werder Bremen travelling to take on Hamburger.
Fixtures across Europe
English Barclays Premier League
Saturday
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Newcastle United vs Burnley
Tottenham Hotspur vs Brentford
Manchester City vs Sunderland
Everton vs Nottingham Forest
AFC Bournamount vs Chelsea
Leeds United vs Liverpool
Sunday
Brighton Albion vs West Ham
Fulham vs Crystal Palace
Monday
Wolves vs Manchester United
Spanish La Liga
Friday
Real Oviedo vs Mallorca
Saturday
Villarreal vs Gatafe
Deportivo vs Real Sociedad
Real Betis vs FC Barcelona
Athletic Bilbao vs Atletico Madrid
Sunday
Elche vs Girona
Valencia vs Sevilla
Espanyol vs Rayo Vallacano
Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo
Monday
Osasuna vs Lavente
Italian Serie A
Saturday
Sassoulo vs Fiorentina
Inter Milan vs Como
Hellas Verona vs Atalanta
Sunday
Cremonese vs Lacce
Cagliari vs AS Roma
Lazio vs Bologna
Napoli vs Juventus
Monday
Pisa SC vs Parma
Udinese vs Genoa
Torino vs AC Milan
German Bundesliga
Friday
Mainz 05 vs Monchenglabach
Saturday
Koln vs FC St Pauli
FC Augsburg vs Leverkusen
Heidenheim vs SC Freiburg
Wolfsburg vs Union Berlin
Stuttgart vs Bayern Munich
RB Leipzig vs Frankfurt
Sunday
Hamburger vs Werder Bremen
Dortmund vs Hoffenheim
