Full list of injuries and absentees ahead of Arsenal's match against Aston Villa - a showdown between first vs third in the Premier League
Arsenal's final Premier League test of 2025 is set up to be one of their biggest, as the league leaders welcome third-placed Aston Villa to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
Mikel Arteta's side cling to top spot ahead of the start of the new year, sitting above the rest with 42 points after 18 fixtures played. Villa are just three points behind, two places lower in the standings, with Manchester City sandwiched between them.
Victory would stamp down Arsenal's credentials as the early favourites to win the Premier League, though more points dropped would significantly loosen their grip. Unai Emery's team already beat them in the reverse fixture at Villa Park, as part of the visitors' ongoing 11-game winning streak in all competitions.
Now they face off again in north London, where both have several injuries and absentees to contend with.
Whoever is able to work past their troubles, will give themselves the best chance of victory, to head into 2026 full of confidence for the second half of the campaign.
football.london goes through the players from both camps set to miss out, now that both managers have provided full updates ahead of the clash.
Riccardo Calafiori
Riccardo Calafiori is a major doubt for Arsenal vs Aston Villa after he was pulled out of Arteta's starting XI to face Brighton in the warm-up. The boss clarified: "It's something that he felt yesterday, something very awkward that happened, and today in the warm-up he wasn’t comfortable.(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Like Calafiori, Jurrien Timber suffered a problem in training ahead of Brighton. The Dutch defender landed awkwardly, according to Arteta, and was therefore absent at the weekend and remains a major doubt to return.(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Kai Havertz is nearing a return from an injury for Arsenal, with Arteta previously saying it would be a matter of "days" before the German international returned to action. Still, he is yet to be risked.(Image: (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))
Ben White was forced off with a hamstring injury early into Arsenal's Premier League clash with Wolves. He has not appeared since, and Villa still looks like it comes too soon for the defender.(Image: (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images))
Cristhian Mosquera was hit with an ankle injury in the win against Brentford earlier this month. He has missed the last six matches and isn't expected to make a full recovery until the new year.(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Max Dowman suffered an ankle injury whilst playing for Arsenal's Under-21s and is experiencing an extended period on the sidelines.(Image: James Fearn/Getty Images)
Matty Cash is a key absentee for Villa against Arsenal. The full-back earned himself a one-game suspension for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season when facing Chelsea at the weekend.(Image: (Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images))
Likewise, midfielder Boubacar Kamara received his fifth yellow card of the season against Chelsea on Saturday, meaning he is suspended for the Arsenal match.(Image: Getty Images)
Villa will be without winger Evann Guessand, who is currently representing Ivory Coast at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.(Image: Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Pau Torres has missed Villa's last four fixtures with a calf problem, having been taken off in the second half against the Gunners earlier in December. Looking ahead to Tuesday, Emery has stated: "Knowing how we are, we are going to train now, two days after playing Chelsea. I want to see how the players are for tomorrow. "Of course, the players who are injured are continuing their process," meaning Torres is not yet ruled out for certain.(Image: (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images))
Tyrone Mings is towards the end of his recovery from a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined for almost two months. Emery's pre-match comment on injuries applies to him also, meaning he is not definitely ruled out of returning against Arsenal.(Image: Richard Lee/Shutterstock)