Picture gallery: Players train ahead of big clash against Arsenal

Villa's players went through their final preparations ahead of the big showdown against Arsenal at the Emirates.

Alex McLeish put his squad through their paces as they look to continue the club's excellent Barclays Premier League record at the new home of the Gunners.

Since the Emirates opened in August 2006, Villa have lost there just once in the top-flight.

That sequence included impressive wins in November 2008 and May 2011.

As the players prepared to try and stage a repeat, club photographer Neville Williams was on hand to snap them in training at Bodymoor Heath.

Click here to see a picture gallery of Villa in training.

Boss McLeish insists Villa must show no fear against Arsene Wenger's team despite their exceptional form.

He reckons Villa can take heart from their performances against the Gunners in the league and FA Cup this term.

"We have to go to a high-flying Arsenal who have won six in a row," the manager said.

"We gave a good account of ourselves there in the FA Cup but collapsed a bit in a mad 15 minute spell.

"But we won there last year and there is no reason why the players can't believe they can win there again despite Arsenal's great form."

Most of the squad trained - apart from long-term casualties Richard Dunne, Darren Bent, Fabian Delph and Ciaran Clark - although McLeish revealed Charles N'Zogbia picked up a slight niggle.

Click here to see a picture gallery of Villa in training.

Arsenal v Aston Villa