Arsenal at Aston Villa preview: Injuries, Suspensions, and Predicted Lineups
How will the Gunners lineup for their first away match of the season?
Welcome to the newest addition to the pre-match coverage rotation. After including these breakdowns in the match thread in the past, we’ve decided to move this portion to its own post in order to better dig in and unpack who is fit, who misses out, and who likely starts for the Gunners.
Week one of the 2026/27 Premier League season is in the books. Following a commanding season opener, Arsenal hit the road for match day 2 as they travel north to face Aston Villa who will look to rebound from a shocking 0-4 defeat at Brighton to open the season. Last season saw the Gunners pipped at the death, and they travel to Villa Park with hopes of catching the hosts still reeling from their opening loss.
The Gunners enjoyed as good of a season opener as you could ask for. They were in command from start to finish, took all three points, and did not endure any new injuries in the process. That’s a win all around, if you ask me.
William Saliba and Jurrien Timber remain out for the foreseeable future with long-term injuries. New signing Bruno Guimarães missed the Friday opener after suffering a thigh injury in the Community Shield, though Mikel Arteta indicated following Friday night’s victory that he doesn’t anticipate that the midfielder will be out for long.
OUT: William Saliba (back), Jurrien Timber (groin)
DOUBT: Bruno Guimarães (groin/thigh)
Despite an impressive pre-season from the latest attacking signing, there were question marks around who Mikel Arteta would start on the left. The gaffer is notoriously loyal to his veterans, but with rumors of Gabriel Martinelli’s departure growing, Tzoles started Friday and swiftly dashed any question marks about his readiness to make the jump to the Premier League. His direct dribbling and movement made him an immediate threat out wide as he consistently found space and put in dangerous balls, eliciting comparisons with former Gunner Alexis Sanchez with his tireless work rate and nose for goal. The left is his until it isn’t.
Arsenal were without the German attacker’s services for most of last season, and he has wasted little time reminding Arsenal fans what he brings to the table when he is fit. A goal against Manchester City in the Community Shield was followed up with an excellent finish on Friday to open the scoring for the Gunners’ campaign, which brought his goal scoring streak to four competitive matches in a row for the club dating back to the end of last season. He looks ready to be the main guy once again. He starts on Monday.
Like Havertz, Saka’s 25/26 season was beset by injuries that extended into the World Cup. Thankfully, he was rotated and rested enough during the summer that he managed to return to fitness in time for the opener. He punished a spilled cross by the keeper to score the Gunners’ second and shone with Ben White and Martin Ødegaard alongside him on the right side of the pitch. Noni Madueke was solid in the second half and created more chances than any Arsenal player despite his limited minutes. He will get his chances as the season wears on, but for now, Arsenal’s Starboy starts out on the right.
He doesn’t ever stop, does he? Rice logged more minutes than any other attacking player last season before reporting to the England camp and featuring for the Three Lions heavily throughout the tournament. You would think he would be the player most in need of a slow, metered return to the side, but he was once again in the starting XI for the opener. Bruno was brought in to share the load and rest Rice, but his injury assures that Declan starts at the 8 at Villa Park.
Ever since being moved into the midfield during last season’s run-in, the 19 year old has been a revelation. He took full advantage of the opportunity on Friday and played a note-perfect match to make his intentions known. The fact that Arteta can rotate MLS and Martin Zubimendi at the base of the midfield gives the manager two elite options to anchor the middle of the park. Following outlandish rumors of a possible move away from the Emirates, the Hale End product has made it clear that he is prepared to fight for his spot.
The captain is back. Of all of the players who have struggled to regain form and fitness in recent season, few have been on the short end of the stick as much as Ødegaard. Freakish injuries and inconsistency hamstrung the midfielder for the better part of two seasons, but he has returned from an impressive World Cup looking vastly improved, with two goals to his name in the past two matches. That it was Kai, Saka, and Martin that found the net on Friday felt perfectly poetic.
The Italian left back/wingback/striker/unicorn was fantastic against Coventry, setting up Havertz opener with an inch-perfect low cross that cut out the defense with ease. A summer’s rest has proven to be a massive boost to Calafiori. Injury concerns remain, but he looks like he is in full verve at the moment. Most promising was his link-up with Tzolis in front of him. The left side of the pitch has been crying out for balance, and it looks like an excellent partnership in the making.
Big Gabi has been the bedrock of the defense, and he helped secure yet another clean sheet as England’s best defense look to help the Gunners retain their title. He will have to adjust to a life without Saliba until at least December, but he raises the level of the backline with his veteran quality.
Now we have the wildcard pick. Konsa was not in the lineup to face Coventry but was revealed before kickoff after signing for the Gunners last week. He was brought in to shore up the RCB slot as Saliba recovers, and I think Arteta wastes no time bedding him in against his former club. Cristhian Mosquera has a big future ahead of him and could easily make the start, but Konsa’s experience may give him an edge.
Few players bring what Ben White does to the pitch. Despite his recent fitness issues, his quality at the back and in joining the attack are hard to replicate. His interplay with Saka and Ødegaard for the captain’s goal was a familiar sight that has been sorely missed and is hopefully here to stay. With Jurrien Timber still out, he will be the first name on the team sheet for the RB spot.
The World Cup winner racked up another clean sheet as he was largely untested by the visitors on Friday. Having Raya between the sticks means opponents don’t get much for free. He will chase a record fourth Gold Glove as the league’s best keeper.
The 2026/27 begins as the title holders host the newly promoted Sky Blues
The Gunners close in on much-needed cover.
Be respectful in your interactions with contributors and fellow fans. Go here to read our community guidelines.
Reminder: Trolling of any sort, especially going to rival sites and trolling, is expressly against the rules. If you do it, you'll most likely be permanently banned.
• Go to the My Profile tab for your comment history and preferences
• C key scrolls forwards through comments / shift-C scrolls backwards
• Z key jumps to Next Unread / shift-A marks all comments on your screen as read
More tips here. If you’d like to report a bug, email us at support@sbnation.com. If you have a moderation issue, please email moderation@sbnation.com.
