Betting tips / Feizal Rahman / 29 January 2012 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

It's been a long time since the Gunners have been in such abject form, says Feizal Rahman, and Aston Villa might just heap more pressure on Arsene Wenger

Arsenal v Aston VillaArsenal [1.62], Aston Villa [6.2], The Draw [4.4]

Arsenal host Aston Villa at the Emirates in one of six all-Premier League ties in the FA Cup fourth round. The two sides had contrasting fortunes in top-flight competition last weekend, with a win for Villa and a loss for the Gunners narrowing the gap between the sides in the table to nine points.

Arsene Wenger will wait on the fitness of Thierry Henry, Mikel Arteta and Bacary Sagna, though Jack Wilshere has suffered a setback in his recovery and will not return as soon as hoped. Alex McLeish, meanwhile, has Gabriel Agbonlahor, Emile Heskey and Stephen Ireland available again.

Match Odds
Arsenal are on a dismal run of form that is seeing the clubs' fans increasingly turn on their team and manager. Regardless of their defensive injury crisis, the Gunners have been woefully timid throughout their line up in recent weeks and the cracks are proving increasingly hard to paper over.

A run of three straight defeats in the league was broken up by a slender home victory against Leeds in their FA Cup third round tie. With a negative goal difference of three over their last ten games in all competitions, the North Londoners have fallen to five defeats and managed just four wins.

Aston Villa will be buoyant following their West Midlands derby triumph at Wolves last weekend - their fourth away win in their last five outings in all competitions. The Birmingham club have suffered just two losses on the road all season and are the top flight's draw specialist with nine in total.

Opta tell us that Villa have been the most successful visiting side to the Emirates Stadium with two wins, two draws and just a single defeat, failing to score on only one occasion.

Indeed, the Villans have been victorious in two of their last three trips.

With Arsenal at a short looking [1.62], it may pay to lay them, if only to back at a bigger price in-play (see Next Goal/Half Time markets below). Villa have equal appeal in the Asian Handicap market at around [2.5] with a +0.5 goal advantage and The Draw likely to tempt at [4.4].

Over/Under 2.5 Goals
Four of Villa's last five away trips have produced at least three goals, though only one of the last seven at home for Arsenal has done similar. Five of the last six meetings between the sides at either's ground have seen in excess of two goals though only half of the last six in North London.

The Gunners have not scored more than a single goal in any of their last seven home games. Conversely, while they have kept just six clean sheets from 15 domestic games at home this term, Manchester United are the only side to score more than once against them this season.

Given the Gunners' lack of goalmouth action in recent home fixtures, 'Under 2.5 Goals' looks the bet at [2.2] with a 1-1 Correct Score available at [10.0]. The visitors have notched 11 in their last five away trips in league and cup and Both Teams to Score can be backed at [1.9].

Other Markets
McLeish's men have struck first in four of their last six away fixtures in which there have been goals, each time prior to the mid-way point. Meanwhile, the Gunners have gone behind six times at home so far this season. Villa to score the Next Goal currently trades at [3.0].

The Emirates faithful have not had much to cheer in the first half of matches recently, with the home side failing to lead at the break in any of the last eight games and have done so in only four games all season. The Half Time Draw is on offer at [2.4] with a Draw/Draw HT/FT at [7.0].

According to Opta, Villa's Darren Bent has netted in six of his last eight encounters with Arsenal, while on-loan striker, Robbie Keane, has six goals in his last 18 games against the Gunners. The strike duo are [10.0] and [14.0] respectively to be First Goalscorer.

Recommended Bets
Back Aston Villa +0.5 Asian Handicap @ [2.5]
Back Aston Villa Next Goal @ [3.0]