Amidst the final week of the Premier League season, it's now or never for Aston Villa.
Mired in the relegation zone and in real danger of being dropped from the top-flight, Villa continue their quest for survival whilst hosting Arsenal on Tuesday night.
At the moment, Aston Villa (8-7-21) sit atop the drop zone on 31 points - three points from safety with two games remaining. The Villans conclude the season at West Ham United next Sunday.
That said, the task is very clear.
Villa have a chance to get out of the relegation zone, but it won't be easy by all accounts. A 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on July 12 and Thursday's 1-1 draw with Everton give the Villans hope and confidence they can continue to earn those needed points in the final week of this unprecedented campaign.
"We're still in the race," defender Matt Targett told Aston Villa's official website. "The team won't give up and we'll give it our all against Arsenal at Villa Park."
Only once during league play this season have Villa earned at least one point in three straight contests. That came directly following a 3-2 defeat at Arsenal on Sept. 22.
John McGinn and Wesley (five goals) each scored in that contest as the Villans went up 2-1 on the hour mark. However, Calum Chambers leveled the match for Arsenal in the 81st minute and three minutes later Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (25 goals over all competitions this season) scored the winner for the Gunners, who now have won seven consecutive matches against Aston Villa over all competitions.
Aubameyang, whose future with the London club remains a hot topic throughout European football, netted a brace during Arsenal's 2-0 win over Manchester City in Saturday's FA Cup action. They will face rivals Chelsea in the tournament's title game.
The Gunners, who preceded that FA Cup victory with a 2-1 league win over a seemingly less-inspired champion Liverpool squad, are amidst a 6-1-1 stretch over all competitions but sit 10th in the table and still with a shot at a top-six finish.
"We are really happy for what happened in the last four or five days," manager Mikel Arteta told Arsenal's official website. "To beat probably the best two teams in Europe is not easy to do. A lot of credit goes to the players for what they are doing, and the performances and the level of fight and decision-making they are showing on the pitch."
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