Even though it is only the second game of the Premier League season, every game matters greatly when a team is vying for the championship, since the margins can be extremely narrow. Arsenal knows that a loss could have a major impact on their continued efforts to unseat Manchester City for the third time in a row.
The only team to beat Arsenal both at home and away during the previous season was Aston Villa, who demonstrated their strength as a rival. These defeats proved crucial because Villa posed a serious obstacle to Arsenal’s title hopes, as they ended the season just two points behind Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Furthermore, after playing Mikel Arteta multiple times and only winning once, Unai Emery, the manager of Villa, appears to have the advantage over the player.
In their first meeting, John McGinn scored the game’s opening goal, and Arsenal lost 1-0. In addition, the match was tainted by controversial calls made by the referee and by opportunities lost. Douglas Luiz fouled Gabriel Jesus in the box, but Gabriel Jesus was not given a clear penalty. Kai Havertz was called for a handball, which was ruled to be in compliance with the rules and negated any chance of a late equalizer.
Arsenal is motivated and determined to turn around the results from last season as they return to Villa Park. Even with Douglas Luiz out, Aston Villa will be motivated to build on their impressive start after defeating West Ham United on the first day of play and adding Amadou Onana to their roster in the summer.
Mikel Arteta will have to think carefully about his starting lineup. Even though Arsenal defeated Wolves, a few changes might still be required. Oleksandr Zinchenko played well in the first half, but his defensive shortcomings in the second could prove more costly against a more formidable team like Villa. If healthy enough to play on Saturday, Jurrien Timber, who looked good off the bench, might be a better choice for the starting lineup. His all-around offensive and defensive contributions might provide Arsenal with the stability they need to pull off a major victory.
