Arsenal Predicted XI vs Aston Villa: Mikel Arteta to be without injured Mustafi for trip to Villa Park

Arsenal will still be riding on a high following back-to-back victories against Liverpool in the Premier League and Man City in the FA Cup semi-finals respectively.

The Gunners defended admirably in both matches as they saw off the champions of England 2-1 last week, three days before a shock 2-0 win over Pep Guardiola’s City at Wembley on Saturday.

However, Mikel Arteta will want his side to continue that good form as they look to end the season strongly and will know that facing a Villa team who are fighting for their lives will not be an easy task.

The London side currently sit 10th in the table but know a win will take them up to eighth and still in with an outside chance of finishing sixth going into the final day.

In the reverse fixture back in September, Arsenal, then managed by Unai Emery, came out on top 3-2 in a five-goal thriller with Calum Chambers and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring in the last 10 minutes to turn the game around.

Arsenal have won the last seven matches between the two sides and haven’t lost at Villa Park since a 3-2 defeat back in December 1998.

So which players will Arteta trust to extend that unbeaten run even further?

Here we predict the Spaniard’s starting XI….

Goalkeeper:

Emiliano Martinez will start again in goal having impressed in the last eight in which he’s deputised for the injured Bernd Leno. The Argentine has caught the eye so much that it could be difficult for the German to regain his place once fit again.

Defenders:

After playing with a back-four against City, we expect Arteta to adopt the same system at Villa Park. After facing criticism, David Luiz performed well in both games and will keep his place but Shkodran Mustafi will miss out after injuring his hamstring at Wembley. Rob Holding came on for the German and is expected to start this one. Meanwhile, Kieran Tierney should retain his place at left-back but Cedric Soares could come in for Hector Bellerin on the right.

Midfielders:

Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos did the required job against City but Arteta could shuffle his pack. Reiss Nelson, who scored his first Premier League goal agaist Liverpool, could regain his place in the starting XI as well as Lucas Torreira, who also did a solid job against the champions.

Forwards:

The trio of Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe and two-goal hero Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang linked up well to see Arsenal through the FA Cup final. But with the games coming thick and fast, versatile youngster Bukuyo Saka could come in on the left. Eddie Nketiah is also back after serving a suspension but could start from the bench.

Predicted XI: Martinez; Soares, Holding, Luiz, Tierney; Torreira, Xhaka, Nelson; Pepe, Saka, Aubameyang.