"It's a big game" - Mark Lawrenson predicts scoreline for Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has made his scoreline prediction for the upcoming Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Arsenal. The match is slated for Saturday at Villa Park.
Lawrenson predicted a 2-1 win for the Gunners against Aston Villa, with Kai Havertz scoring a goal. The former defender said (via Paddy Power):
"The first thing to mention in this game is that it’s a good time for Aston Villa to face Arsenal because in the next couple of weeks the Champions League kicks off and that will be a distraction. The hardest thing for Villa this year will be combining the two competitions."
Speaking about the Gunners' last Premier League match, where Mikel Arteta's squad bagged a 2-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Lawrenson said:
"Arsenal looked good against Wolves, though Wolves could have nicked a goal and made it a bit nervy. I’m going to go for Arsenal to win this 2-1 and I think they’re going to win the league."
"It’s a big game but I think it might actually be harder for Villa as they’re at home, believe it or not. They’ve lost Douglas Luiz who was so important for them, and I just fancy Arsenal."
Mark Lawrenson explained his prediction about Kai Havertz scoring a goal in the upcoming clash.
"For a goal scorer I’ll got for Kai Havertz. People bash him a lot, he didn’t really get it at Chelsea did he. I don’t know if he needs an arm around him but he looks good now. He looks confident, he’s big and he’s quick and he’s strong."
Arsenal have a good record against Aston Villa. The Gunners have won 87 out of the 203 matches between the two clubs, while Aston Villa has bagged 71 victories.
Paul Merson's prediction for Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Paul Merson has given out his prediction for the upcoming Aston Villa vs Arsenal game. The former English forward spoke about how important the clash is for the Gunners with respect to their title race. He said:
"This is a massive game. Arsenal got done for the double by Aston Villa last season and that cost them the title. If Arsenal lose and Manchester City win this weekend, the Gunners could suffer in the title race. Mikel Arteta's men also face Tottenham Hotspur and City in September, so it's not an easy run-in from here."
"If things don't go their way, Arsenal could even be out of the title race by October! I'm not even exaggerating, the next four fixtures starting with Villa on Saturday are all tough for them. If you lose two of them, it's over."
Paul Merson predicted that the Gunners will bag a 2-1 win.
"I'm going to go for an Arsenal win in this one, but I do think Villa can score."
The Gunners have won 14 away matches at Villa Park in the Premier League.