SETTABLOID

Arsenal face Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, with a chance to avenge the defeat which cost the Gunners the title in the previous season.

Unai Emery will be wanting to take another victory from Mikel Arteta as his side look for revenge after Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey scored at Villa Park earlier in the campaign. However, both that win and the North London Derby success will have emboldened the Gunners too.

Mikel Arteta was not giving much away when it came to team news and therefore I am minded, perhaps like him, not to take too many risks when it comes to choosing the team. I am also mindful that a home tie with Dinamo Zagreb next week should allow for some rotation and there is some comfort in starting many of those who played against Tottenham.

I am making just one change from that team with Raheem Sterling dropping to the bench. His performance appeared to split fans who realised a better level being shown but still not enough to convince everyone that starting games is the correct pathway forwards.

Arsenal continue to be linked with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko in the January transfer window. The Gunners are actively looking for an attacking addition this month which has seen several names emerge of interest as injuries continue to impact Mikel Arteta.

“Yes, for sure, because we lost two big players – Bukayo could be out for three months, and Gabby is going to be out for a long time too,” he told TNT Sport when asked about signing a new forward. “We are going to try for sure. We are actively looking.

A loan move for Sesko appears an option, while Arsenal taking advantage of the gentleman’s agreement he has with Leipzig for a move this summer, is another decision that must be made by all relevant parties.

Kieran Horn

Arsenal need a solution to their attacking woes and they need it imminently. Whether or not they could actually sign Sesko this month however, is another matter.

Leipzig clearly don’t want to let him go in the middle of a season without signing a replacement and given his decision to stay in Germany came just six months ago, it is unlikely his stance has drastically changed. With that being said, this is certainly a different scenario than the one Arsenal presented him last summer.

Arsenal are well placed to sign a record-breaking midfielder after Manchester United exited the race, while a report has revealed how much the deal will cost.

The transfer headlines at Arsenal this month – at least from an arrivals perspective – have revolded around Martin Zubimendi and the club’s search for a potent new striker.

However, bubbling away behind the scenes is the club’s efforts to bring one of world football’s brightest young talents to north London.

Sverre Nypan might not be a familiar name to most, though if he lives up to his vast potential, he’ll be a household name before long.

Others who’d scouted the player included Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Chelsea are also keen on the talented youngster.

Nypan plays for Norwegian side Rosenborg where he’s scooped their last two Young Player of the Year awards. However, ahead of the new Norwegian season kicking off next month, Rosenborg look set to cash in on their prized asset.

The number of clubs who remain in the race has been narrowed down, with the report claiming Man Utd are NOT among the final contenders.

However, Arsenal as well as Manchester City are among those who remain and ‘a decision regarding Nypan’s future is imminent.’

Mikel Arteta has refused to be drawn on any specifics regarding his team. The Spaniard has many players still out of the side going into the challenging test.

Arteta faced the media in the build-up to a pivotal Premier League clash with Aston Villa with the chance to make a significant statement and avenge their title blow from the previous campaign. After winning the North London Derby, the Gunners have rediscovered their form.

However, the visit of Villa brings a much tougher challenge even though Arsenal managed an impressive victory on the road to Villa Park earlier in the season. Now, though, the hope is that a run similar to the second half of the previous campaign can be achieved to help chase down Liverpool.

Arteta will need as many players as possible available to him and has been missing some key players including Bukayo Saka, Ben White and Ethan Nwaneri. The latter two had seen some rumours circulate that they might be doing work on the pitch along with Riccardo Calafiori, who has also been missing.

When asked for an update on the latest team news he said: “Training session this afternoon, we have a few decisions to make this afternoon with the medical staff.”

Mikel Arteta could build one of the strongest frontlines in the Premier League if Arsenal can get their hands on Benjamin Sesko. The 21-year-old striker was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in the summer before deciding to sign a new contract at RB Leipzig.

Arteta forced to make tough call

Arteta has two good options to choose from on the left wing in Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, yet the Spaniard may still be tempted to delve into the transfer market. The duo have been satisfactory, but the Arsenal boss will want a maverick to join forces with Sesko and Bukayo Saka.

To build the ultimate frontline, everyone needs to share the workload. Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale. No passengers. If Arteta can get Martinelli to build upon his 2022/23 form then the Gunners will save millions in transfer fees for years to come.

Arsenal take on Aston Villa in what is certainly an emotional reunion for the Gunners. Unai Emery is effectively the coach who ended the club’s hopes of winning the title as Ollie Watkins scored to inflict the only defeat suffered by the club in the second half of the league season.

Determined to change that record, Arsenal have recovered their form following two cup defeats last week and were dominant while still lacking clinical finishing in the box, as they won the North London Derby on Wednesday night. Emery’s side meanwhile also won.

The Villans eked out a 1-0 win at Everton to start off David Moyes’ second tenure with the club with a defeat. Everton had plenty of chances in the game and should have come away with more on the night.

In terms of Arsenal, what a dream line-up might look like sadly even in the wildest of unlikely scenarios would not involve a new signing. It would need to happen by tomorrow and even then it would be a big push.

The earliest we might see one is next week for the Champions League clash with Dinamo Zagreb. If not then, the trip to Wolves the following weekend.

For now, David Raya of course will be starting in net and looking to continue his fine form as Arsenal’s goalkeeper. Jurrien Timber needs to continue to pile in the minutes as the wait for Ben White’s return continues although it is thought to be getting closer.

Arsenal have another big test coming up, so Mikel Arteta will be hoping his players can prove their title credentials. The Gunners will lock horns with Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon as they both look to climb the Premier League table.

On Wednesday night, Arsenal enjoyed a 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur. Though the Gunners earned the bragging rights over their north London rivals, they remain four points adrift of Liverpool, who have a game in hand, in the title race.

In an effort to bolster his side and close the gap, Arteta has voiced his desire to sign a new player or two this month.

Arsenal finally make Gyokeres decision

According to a new report from French newspaper L’Equipe, Arsenal are ‘no longer reluctant to pay’ the £83m (€100m) release clause in Viktor Gyokeres’ contract. With such a huge financial decision believed to have been made, it would suggest that the Gunners aren’t overly concerned about profit and sustainability rules and they’re ready to make a big signing.

“We will see,” the Sporting striker told Spanish publication Marca about his future last month. “There are many rumours circulating, but we are in the middle of the season and there are still many months left. We will see when the time comes what will happen.”

When asked where he sees himself playing at the age of 30, Gyokeres replied: “Playing for one of the best teams in Europe. That is the objective.”

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has hinted at the need for more firepower in the squad following the win over Tottenham, claiming that his team could have scored 10 goals against their North London rivals.

As has been the case for the last few weeks, the Gunners saw chances come and go before Spurs took the lead in the first half through Son Heung-min. Arsenal were able to turn the game around before half time thanks to an own goal from Dominic Solanke and a Leandro Trossard strike.

That proved to be the winner, with Mikel Arteta’s side unable to extend their advantage. The failure to take chances has been a talking point around the Emirates Stadium, with a long-term injury to Gabriel Jesus only adding to the talk of a need for a new striker in January.

“The first 45 minutes were just pure domination, we showed that intent, that pressure, that desire, you could tell it was a derby. To be honest with you, we’re unlucky we probably didn’t score 10 tonight, I think that’s the feeling.”

He added: “The second half, the game got stretched, they could have maybe scored a couple, but we could have had another five or six and that’s the most disappointing thing. But to win is the most important and now hopefully we can go on a run because this is the most important part of the season.”