Aston Villa host reigning champions Arsenal in their first home game of the season, looking to put their 4-0 drubbing by Brighton behind them.
Aston Villa vs ArsenalSee All Odds
Aston Villa host Arsenal at Villa Park on Monday night in a fixture that looked very different three months ago. Unai Emery's side finished fourth last season, won the Europa League and reached the UEFA Super Cup final, only to sell Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne over the summer before being taken apart 4-0 at Brighton on the opening weekend, with Joao Gomes sent off before half-time.
Arsenal, by contrast, look every bit the reigning champions. Mikel Arteta's side beat Manchester City in the Community Shield and followed it up with a comfortable 3-0 win over Coventry, in which new signing Christos Tzolis took four shots and created three chances on his debut. They have kept a clean sheet in both competitive outings so far.
Villa's business hasn't stood still either. Nicolas Jackson arrived from Chelsea on Friday to replace the departed Ollie Watkins, while Leon Goretzka signed on a free transfer from Bayern Munich days earlier, meaning Emery could field two players against the champions who weren't even at the club on Wednesday.
Who is Betting Favourite to Win in Aston Villa vs Arsenal?
Latest odds suggest Arsenal are strong favourites to win at Villa Park, priced at 8/15 in the match-winner market. The draw is available at 31/10, while Villa are out at 5/1 despite finishing fourth and winning a European trophy just three months ago.
Arsenal have won a record 15 Premier League games at Villa Park, more than at any other away ground in the competition, though Villa have actually won two of the last three league meetings there, including a 95th-minute Emiliano Buendia winner in December that briefly cut Arsenal's title lead to three points.
Aston Villa vs Arsenal Best Bet
Best Bet: Martin Odegaard – Over 1.5 Shots
Stake: 1pt
Odds: EVENS (bet365)
Odegaard's shot count across his last six games in all competitions reads 3, 2, 1, 3, 1 and 3, showing he's a consistent enough source of volume from central areas even without necessarily being the man Arsenal look to first.
The matchup here plays into his hands. Villa conceded 21 shots in their opener against Brighton, and their defence, still bedding in Pau Torres and shorn of Ezri Konsa, looks below par at this early stage. With new arrivals in Jackson and Goretzka needing time to gel and Villa's midfield already missing the suspended Gomes, Arsenal should have the platform to camp in the final third for long spells, and Odegaard is normally among the first names to take advantage of that.
Aston Villa vs Arsenal Bet Builder Tip
Our Bet Builder Tip for Aston Villa vs Arsenal includes the following legs:
- No - Both Teams To Score
- John McGinn Over 1.5 - Fouls
- Christos Tzolis Over 1.5 - Shots On Target
Best odds of 16/1 available with bet365 at the time of writing.
No, Both Teams To Score
Arsenal have conceded just once across their opening two competitive games this season, and with Saliba and Timber both still missing, Cristhian Mosquera has settled quickly alongside Gabriel to keep that record intact. At the other end, Villa managed only three shots and 0.31 expected goals in their defeat at Brighton, and with a debutant striker in Jackson and a midfield still being rebuilt on the fly, breaking down an Arsenal side yet to be beaten this season looks a tall order.
John McGinn – Over 1.5 Fouls
McGinn's foul counts across his last six starts read 1, 3, 2, 2, 0 and 3, showing he's rarely far from this mark even in games Villa are expected to see plenty of the ball. With Joao Gomes suspended and Goretzka only days into life at the club, McGinn is likely to be asked to cover more ground defensively than usual against an Arsenal midfield and front four that like to rotate and probe for gaps.
Christos Tzolis – Over 1.5 Shots On Target
Tzolis cleared this exact line on his Premier League debut against Coventry, taking four shots in total as he settled in quickly following his move from Club Brugge. He should have similar joy here. Villa's makeshift back line, still adjusting to life without Ezri Konsa, is there to be attacked, and Tzolis's willingness to shoot from wide areas and cut inside should give him plenty of sighters at Zion Suzuki's goal.
Aston Villa vs Arsenal Match Prediction
Villa Park on a Monday night is about the only thing working in the hosts' favour here. Arsenal have lost to weaker Villa sides than this one before, but this Villa team is missing four key departures, has a striker who signed on Friday, a midfielder who signed on Thursday, and a suspended defensive midfielder in Gomes.
Arsenal, meanwhile, look exactly like a team defending their title, unbeaten and yet to concede in the league, with Saka and Tzolis both running at full backs who can't afford to commit fully forward. It's difficult to see anything other than a comfortable evening for the champions.
Prediction: Aston Villa 0-2 Arsenal
Aston Villa vs Arsenal Predicted Lineups
Emery has two enforced changes at the very least. Gomes is suspended for the second of a three-match ban, Emiliano Martinez has left for Chelsea, and Tammy Abraham remains out, while Amadou Onana, Johan Manzambi and Brian Madjo are all unavailable. Jackson and Goretzka are both in line for full debuts having only just arrived at the club.
Aston Villa Predicted XI: Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Goretzka; McGinn, Barkley, Buendia; Jackson
Arsenal are expected to name the same XI that beat Coventry. William Saliba remains out for the long term with a back injury, and Jurrien Timber is still working his way back from a groin problem, though Bruno Guimaraes is being assessed and could come straight into the side if passed fit.
Arsenal Predicted XI: Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz
Aston Villa vs Arsenal Player Prop Bet
Best Bet: Bukayo Saka – Over 0.5 Assists
Best odds: 14/5 (Coral).
Stake: 1pt
Saka scored in the opener and took five corners, and this matchup sets up nicely for him again. He lines up against Ian Maatsen, who had a difficult afternoon defensively at Brighton and offered little going the other way, and Villa's system asks their full back to push on in support of a front three shorn of real Premier League experience.
If Maatsen has to sit deep to protect his own goal, Villa lose their best route out of defence, and Saka should get the space he needs on the right to either finish chances himself or create them for Havertz and Odegaard through the middle.
