Having convincingly beaten Wolves in their opening game of the Premier League 2024/25 season, Arsenal will want to continue in their own merry ways against Aston Villa on Saturday.
The Gunners are taking a trip to Villa Park and are likely to face a well-drilled Unai Emery side that is right up there in the Premier League at the moment. The Spanish tactician who has an Emirates past would love to get one over his former club (again!)
Villa have been a bogey team for Arsenal in the past season, losing both league encounters to them last season, conceding three goals and scoring none in return. Mikel Arteta will be keen on making sure that doesn’t happen again this season.
In a way, it helps that Arsenal are going to Villa Park this early in the season. Aston Villa as a team resemble a normal distribution with a bell-shaped curve. It’s a gradual build towards a flawless peak and facing them this early this season gives the Gunners the best chance to take advantage of them before they settle.
DATE & TIME:
Date: August 24, 2024
Time: 17:30 BST
Location: Villa Park, Birmingham.
ASTON VILLA vs ARSENAL – TEAM NEWS:
Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu continue being long-term absences for Arsenal and unlikely to return any time soon. Jurrien Timber made a successful return from injury in the second half against the Wolves and could be in line to start against Villa instead of Oleksandr Zinchenko. Fabio Vieira is nursing a hip issue but could be available for the game. Riccardo Calafiori is yet to make his Gunners debut after being an unused substitute in the first game and it remains to be seen if Arteta used him against Unai Emery’s side.
For Aston Villa, Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara are long-term absentees whilst Robin Olsen is a major doubt for the clash. Ollie Watkins’ minutes were managed after his long international season with England in the Euros. Jacob Ramsey and Ian Maatsen had impressive cameos off the bench against Crystal Palace and would be pushing to start against Arsenal but match-winner Jhon Duran will have to settle for a spot on the bench, again.
ASTON VILLA vs ARSENAL – PRE-GAME ANALYSIS
Mikel Arteta will set his team up in a 4-3-3 formation as always. David Raya is nailed in to start in between the posts with Ben White, William Saliba and Gabriel locked in as three out of four defenders in front of him. The left-back role could be up for grabs with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori all battling for the spot.
The Ukrainian international started against Wolves but was targetted repeatedly by Villa with long balls over his side in the league encounters last season. This could prompt Mikel Arteta to start the defensively sound Jurrien Timber at left-back against Unai Emery’s side. Alternatively, he could also choose to start Calafiori although that is unlikely. Regardless of who starts, they might be tasked with inverting into midfield to provide support to the #6 on the evening.
The midfield and attack almost picks himself with the only bone of contention being whether Arteta should go with Jorginho instead of Rice. Regardless, this might be the Gunners’ last game before the arrival of Mikel Merino who should walk straight into the XI, ending debate regarding this position.
MUST READ: How could Arsenal lineup against Aston Villa?
Villa on the other hand are likely to set up in a settled 4-2-3-1 formation under Unai Emery although the Spanish tactician has used a three-at-the-back system at times against bigger opposition. Despite this, we think he’ll stick to the former considering the profiles in the squad that he has at the moment.
Ex-Arsenal player Emiliano Martinez is going to start in goal. The Argentinian needs no introduction to his heroics which are well documented now. The back-four of Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres and Lucas Digne are likely to keep their place for the big game despite Ian Maatsen making a compelling case to start.
Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana are nearly locked in to start at the base of midfield. Morgan Rodgers is also likely to continue in the #10 role and he will look to keep up his impressive form. Leon Bailey is likely to start on the right side of attack but there could be a change on the left with Jacob Ramsey coming in for John McGinn. The attack will be rounded up by Ollie Watkins as the striker.
PREDICTED LINEUPS:
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): E. Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Tielemans, Onana; Bailey, Rodgers, Ramsey; Watkins
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Jorginho, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
ARSENAL VS WOLVES PREDICTION
Going away to Villa and getting points is not going to be an easy task but revenge is a dish best served cold. Mikel Arteta will come out all guns blazing to make up for the two losses last season to Unai Emery’s side. This clash promises to be a match between two very interesting tacticians.
What Arteta and Emery will do with their teams is fairly straightforward with both managers believing more in continuity and not one to change up the tactics from game to game. On paper, Arsenal have a stronger squad and Villa tend to play as a team and the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts.
PREDICTION: Aston Villa 1-3 Arsenal
