Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal know how they can beat Aston Villa on Friday.

The Gunners have lost their last three matches against Dean Smith's side.

"We play at home. We know the type of game we need to play to beat them, and our focus is only that," Arteta said ahead of Friday's clash at the Emirates.

"If we play 4-3-3 the way we played the first 20 minutes [against Crystal Palace], we win the games, but if we start to play the way we played the following 20 minutes, it doesn't work, because again, that is a transition game and we don't have the players to do that when we play in that formation.

"The play in the last 20 minutes is something that we haven't done a lot as well, but it worked because we generated what we wanted. We have to be flexible and we have to play players in their strengths and when they are not playing.

"It is a test [against Villa] and they have shown how difficult they can be against us, because we haven't got the results that we wanted against them recently. So we know they have improved their squad, the way they have played a lot in the last few seasons they are showing a lot of ambition the way they are recruiting as well, and it will be a difficult game for sure."