Emery's Villa to test Arsenal's title race nerves

LONDON : Arsenal's form in the Premier League has put them within sight of their first title for 20 years but there is a good reason why many remain sceptical about the ability of Mikel Arteta's side to hold off Manchester City and Liverpool.

Their remaining fixture list looks loaded with dangerous obstacles, far more so than City and Liverpool's, and the first one they must clear is Aston Villa at home on Sunday.

Arteta's side travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers the following week, then host Chelsea and then go away to arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur while an away clash at Manchester United is also on the horizon.

Throw in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-finals at Bayern Munich three days after hosting Villa and their is no escape from the pressure cooker for leaders Arsenal.

Apart from some slipshod defending against Bayern on Tuesday, the Gunners have been near-perfect since the turn of the year, but this is now the time when cool heads are needed.

Arsenal lost 1-0 at Villa in December and their followed a slump in form that looked like wrecking their title hopes, but they have won 10 of their last 11 league games to stand top of the table with 71 points, ahead of Liverpool on goal difference.

With City just a point behind, any dropped points now in a three-way title race for the ages could be terminal.

Which is why the visit of fifth-placed Villa, managed by former Arsenal boss Unai Emery, is causing some anxiety.

Emery, who was jettisoned by Arsenal after 18 months in charge, would doubtless take some satisfaction from reminding the Arsenal fans of his tactical acumen.

In striker Ollie Watkins, who has been involved in a league high 28 goals (18 goals and 10 assists) Villa have a player capable of denting