Aston Villa host Arsenal in the Premier League as they look to brush off a harrowing 4-0 defeat to Brighton in their opening fixture last week.
Unai Emery’s side conceded four goals inside the first 31 minutes of the new season as they were dismantled by Brighton showing that their summer exits have cost the team its identity. Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne, Youri Tielemans, Emi Martinez, Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa have departed the club this summer and the manager is now tasked with overseeing a rebuild whilst keeping the team competitive in both England and Europe.
Tonight’s encounter with Arsenal could show how well they will do this season as a competitive performance would bring confidence whilst a second capitulation in as many games would set the alarm bells ringing.
For their part, the Premier League champions, who signed Konsa from Villa, were on top form in their first match having dispatched Coventry City 3-0. Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard all got on the scoresheet and the formidable trio will aim to replicate that form this evening.
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Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Right then, the build-up is over and the players are making their way out onto the pitch.
Which Aston Villa will turn up tonight? Unai Emery’s Europa League champions or the team that slumped to defeat to Brighton last week?
We’re about to find out, kick off is up next…
Younger generation seem happy with Jackson
Villa’s on-pitch announcer has interviewed three children and asked them who they are looking forward to seeing.
“Two replied Nicolas Jackson.
“It remains to be seen if they are so excited by him in a few months but for now the younger generation of Villa fans seem happy with his signing.”
Emery on maintaining ‘special’ Aston Villa
“I want to keep some players like they were helping us to be successful, and how they were understanding everything we needed as mentally, and as players as well with their skills,” said Villa boss Unai Emery.
“But I accept because I have experiences before in the same situation, and when I arrived here, I knew where I was arriving.
“And everything we are doing is really being fantastic. I expect the same. To continue doing special and different ways, with different players, but always thinking it’s something special, and something positive.”
The best squad we have
Here’s some thoughts from Mikel Arteta speaking about his Arsenal squad.
He said: “This is the best squad that we have, or we believe that we could have right now, and that’s it.
“That’s not the best squad that we’re going to have in a month’s time because hopefully the players will improve, the team will improve and we’ll be better.
Five in a row?
Arsenal have won their first away game in each of the last four Premier League seasons, also keeping a clean sheet each time.
The Gunners have never won their opening away game in five consecutive league campaigns before.
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Arsenal’s patient approach could yet pay off amid Atletico Madrid’s explosive breakdown in relations with Barcelona – now, the Gunners must lean on sporting director Andrea Berta to smooth negotiations, and be prepared to send another attacker the other way.
Emery on his task to rebuild Villa
Unai Emery spoke about the tumultuous summer that Aston Villa have experienced and how they move forward from here.
“We must compete, we must win, we have to rebuild the team as fast as possible, we have to accept our way, our decisions, and why we are taking some decisions, but I am positive, and we are working,” he explained.
“At the same time, rebuilding the team with the players, they can understand how we want to play, and trying to understand some necessary time for some players to adapt to us.
“Of course, some players, they will need time more than others, and the players, they are with us for a long time. They must compete now, strong, and of course with all the ideas we were building, and trying to adapt the new players as fast as possible.”
Do Villa have an edge?
Aston Villa won at home against Manchester City in both 2023-24 and 2024-25, and beat Liverpool at Villa Park last season.
The last team to beat the reigning top-flight champions at home in more successive uninterrupted seasons were Luton Town, who did seven in a row between 1985-86 and 1991-92.
Villa vs the champions
Aston Villa have won their last three Premier League home games against the reigning champions, as many times as they had in their first 28.
Can they turn around a poor performance against Brighton and outfox the Gunners tonight?
