With their matchup against Aston Villa this weekend, Arsenal are getting ready for a crucial early test of their Premier League title aspirations.
With goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, the Gunners convincingly defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 to start the season. As they head to Villa Park, the team is in relatively good shape health-wise.
In the first game against Wolves, Dutch defender Jurrien Timber, who was absent from Arsenal’s last two preseason games, came on as a second-half substitute. Takehiro Tomiyasu, on the other hand, is still out with a knee injury that prevented him from playing during the team’s preseason tour in the United States. It will take him several weeks to recover. Additionally, Kieran Tierney continues to recover from a hamstring injury sustained during Euro 2024 and will not be available for the Villa match.
On a more positive note, Fabio Vieira, who has been dealing with a hip injury, could make his return to the squad this weekend.
Although Mikel Arteta has options, he may decide to stick with the starting lineup that defeated Wolves. Depending on Arteta’s strategy, Leandro Trossard may take Gabriel Martinelli’s place on the left wing. Riccardo Calafiori, the summer acquisition who was benched last Saturday, is healthy and prepared for this game.
Expected to stay in the starting lineup are William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães, who were both included in the PFA Team of the Season along with teammates Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and David Raya.
The expected Arsenal starting lineup for the match against Villa is Raya in goal, White, Saliba, Gabriel, and Zinchenko in defense, Odegaard, Partey, and Rice in midfield, and Saka, Havertz, and Martinelli in the attacking zone.
