Arteta makes 1 big change | Predicted Arsenal XI vs Aston Villa
Arsenal travel to Villa Park for tonight’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa.
The Gunners started their title defence with a comfortable 3-0 win over Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium.
They are now set to face the Villans, who have been a bogey club for them. Mikel Arteta’s side have won just two of the previous six meetings and suffered a last-gasp defeat at Villa Park last term.
The Gunners went on to convincingly win the reverse fixture at the Emirates Stadium (4-1), but they will want to avenge last season’s defeat in the Midlands by picking up a victory tonight.
Ahead of the game, we anticipate Arteta to make a solitary change.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Predicted Line-up:
David Raya has won the Golden Glove in the previous three Premier League seasons. The Spanish goalkeeper started with another clean sheet against Coventry, but he could face a sterner challenger against Villa on the road.
Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori were brilliant with their overlapping runs against the Sky Blues. The duo bagged an assist apiece, and they are poised to start in the right and left-back positions respectively.
Gabriel Magalhaes is an assured starter in the heart of the defence, but could have a new partner. Ezri Konsa recently signed for the Gunners from Villa, and he could be brought straight into the XI.
Cristhian Mosquera has fared well in the first two games of the new season, but Arteta could be tempted to play Konsa alongside Gabriel, with the Englishman having spent eight years at Villa Park. William Saliba and Jurrien Timber remain injured.
Bruno Guimaraes is back in full training after a groin injury, but he could be eased into action. Myles Lewis-Skelly has been a revelation in midfield over the past few matches and the manager could persist with him and Declan Rice in the centre of the park until Guimaraes is fully fit to start games.
In the final third, Arteta has an easy decision to make. Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Havertz all scored in the win over Coventry. Odegaard should continue as the attacking midfielder with Saka on the right wing and Havertz upfront. Christos Tzolis is poised to feature on the left wing.
The Greek registered two assists on his club debut in the Community Shield win over Manchester City and was also hugely influential against Coventry. He played a huge role in the opening two goals, and was unlucky not to score as Coventry came up with multiple blocks to deny him on his Premier League debut.
How Arsenal could line up vs Aston Villa
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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