At Arsenal tonight, match facts from the BBC and the chart

I on purpose didn't write a post after the Wolves match because it felt too depressing and sad to write. Then it became Monday, then Thursday and I still didn't have anything positive to write. Today, we play Arsenal, so I can put that result behind us.

It's because some things are best not said or written and that's even though I suspect what I wanted to write and say would have not been said or written by many. So tonight we turn our attention to something new and try to forget last weekend.

Arsenal are one point and place above us and while are only 8 games in, it's almost a quarter of the season. Tonight is a match that if we don't win, there are going to be more negative voices. We need to win tonight, because Arsenal are not that much better than us and we need the type of performance that shows we know how to win.

We nearly won last time but instead we ended up looking like a pub side. Tonight, we need to go play like we understand it's a battle and that the battle isn't over when we score a goal. They need to go out tonight like professionals and fight for 95 minutes.

The chart

Match facts from the BBC

Head-to-head

• Aston Villa have won three successive Premier League games against Arsenal, as many as they had in their previous 36 attempts. It's 59 years since Villa last earned four straight league victories in this fixture.
• Arsenal have lost four of the 10 league meetings at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have only been defeated more often at the stadium by Manchester City (5) and Chelsea (6).

Arsenal

• Arsenal have only lost one of their past six home league fixtures, earning 13 points.
• They are on a five-match unbeaten league run, having lost their opening three games.
• A fifth Premier League home defeat of 2021 would be their most in a calendar year since losing six times at Highbury in 1997.
• The Gunners have failed to score in each of their past seven league defeats.
• This is the first time Arsenal have had top-flight matches on Monday and then Friday in the same week since 28 December 1987 and New Year's Day 1988.
• Arsenal's tally of seven goals is their lowest after eight league games since 1986.
• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored in three consecutive home league appearances for the first time since a five-match run in September 2019.

Aston Villa

• The Villans are winless in 12 top-flight away fixtures played on a Friday since a 4-1 victory at Charlton in April 1950 (D3, L9).
• Aston Villa have lost five of their past eight away league games, as many as they had in their previous 17.
• They could lose three consecutive Premier League matches for the first time since June to July last year.
• Only two of Villa's 12 league goals this season have been scored in the first half.
• Ollie Watkins scored three of Aston Villa's four goals against Arsenal in the Premier League last season.
• Emiliano Martinez has kept 18 clean sheets in 45 Premier League appearances for Villa since signing from Arsenal in September 2020.