This was the game that did it for Arsenal last season. They won 16 of their last 18 league games, but had one bad half against Aston Villa and the defeat cost them the title. That memory must still hurt but it might actually help Mikel Arteta's side focus on getting the job done this time.

Losing to Aston Villa twice played a major role in Arsenal falling short in last season's Premier League title race, and manager Mikel Arteta does not want to take Unai Emery's side for granted despite a win at Villa Park in August.

Have we already witnessed the peak years of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal reign? It feels like this Emirates era is heading towards a crossroads, with Arsenal in the middle of a high-stakes game. This will either be one of the greatest seasons in the club’s history - ending a 21-year wait for the Premier League title - or a campaign which ends amid a highly-charged post-season review as to how they squandered their best chance to become champions in two decades.

Slegers, contracted until the end of next season, is no stranger to Arsenal. She was in their academy from 2006 to 2007 and returned as part of Eidevall’s backroom staff at the start of the 2023-24 season after succeeding him as head coach at Swedish side FC Rosengard.

Arsenal Women on Friday named Dutchwoman Renee Slegers as their permanent head coach on a contract until the end of the season after she oversaw an unbeaten run of 11 matches across all competitions.

Arsenal women have named Renee Slegers as their permanent head coach after she impressed during her three-month interim spell in charge of the team.