15 May 2011 15:06:00
Thomas Vermaelen – Arsenal, (Getty Images)
Related Links
Teams
Players
Arsenal host Aston Villa on Sunday in a bid to wrestle second place from Chelsea and the Emirates will witness the return of Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen who has missed out on first-team action because of a recurring Achilles problem since September.
Star midfielder Cesc Fabregas is missing on the team sheet as Wilshere will be supported by Walcott in midfield and Arshavin has been partenered with Van Persie to play Villa’s back five.
Gerard Houllier’s side, meanwhile, will be looking to claim all three points to push them further from the bottom of the table.
Bent and Young have once again been called at the head of the Villa attacking line while Agbonlahor and Heskey start on the bench.
Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Vermaelen, Squillaci, Gibbs, Song, Wilshere, Walcott, Ramsey, Arshavin, Van Persie. Subs: Lehmann, Denilson, Eboue, Chamakh, Henderson, Miquel, Bendtner
Aston Villa: Friedel, Walker, Collins, Dunne, L. Young, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Delph, Downing, Bent, A. Young Subs: Marshall, Pires, Agbonlahor, Albrighton, Bradley, Heskey, Cuellar
See original here:
TEAM NEWS: Thomas Vermaelen returns to Arsenal starting XI against Aston Villa after eight months out