Arsenal XI vs Aston Villa – Predicted lineup and team news

Arsenal are set to face Aston Villa in a Premier League match at Villa Park on Monday, 31 August 2026, kicking off at 20:00. The Gunners aim to continue their impressive start to the season, having already secured the Community Shield and a 3-0 victory over Coventry City without conceding a goal. Mikel Arteta's side could potentially become the first in club history to achieve five consecutive opening away wins in a Premier League season.

However, Arsenal face some injury concerns. Jurrien Timber will be absent due to a groin issue, while William Saliba is also expected to miss the game due to a back problem. Despite this, Bruno Guimaraes is not ruled out, although Arteta remains cautious. New signing Ezri Konsa, who joined from Villa earlier this summer, is available and most likely to start on the bench, given Arsenal's strong defensive pairings.

David Raya is expected to continue in goal, alongside a four-man backline of Ben White, Gabriel Magalhães, Cristhian Mosquera, and Riccardo Calafiori.

In midfield, Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard are set to anchor the team, with Martín Zubimendi as the likely third member of the trio, ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly. Bukeyo Saka and Christos Tzolis, who have previously played in wide areas and filled the role of auxiliary full-backs, will support Kai Havertz in attack. Both players have already proven their worth with goals or assists in Arsenal's 3-0 win over Coventry City.