(Reuters) - 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.
Seventh-placed Villa are on a three-match winning streak in all competitions as Arsenal, second in the league, host them on Saturday in a bid to close in on leaders Liverpool.
"They are a good side, that's why they beat us last season," Arteta told reporters on Friday.
"We know the difficulty of the team that they are, that’s why they are performing so well. Great players, and a great coach."
Arteta said he was happy that Arsenal have reduced their gap with Liverpool after Wednesday's 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, with the leaders being held to a 1-1 draw by Nottingham Forest on the same day.
However, Arsenal still trail Liverpool, who have a game in hand, by four points.
"We're playing to win and that’s exactly where we want to be. The pressure comes from within. You have to thrive to be the best that you possibly can be," Arteta said.
The manager said signing a striker in January would boost his side but refused to say whether his club was closing on any particular player.
"We are trying, actively, to find the best possible solution but we'll have to wait and see what we can do," the Spaniard added.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
