Preview: Aston Villa vs Arsenal - prediction, team news, lineups

The successor and the predecessor collide once again on Monday evening, when Premier League champions Arsenal meet Aston Villa at Villa Park in their first away match of the campaign.

The Gunners' title defence began in exemplary fashion with a 3-0 win over Coventry City, whereas Unai Emery's Villans were ripped to shreds in a 4-0 Brighton & Hove Albion battering.

Match preview

If Arsenal's status as Premier League title favourites was not already set in stone before the 2026-27 season kicked off, the Gunners' straightforward slaughter of Coventry - coupled with a few slip-ups from expected close challengers - enhanced their back-to-back credentials further.

Mikel Arteta's men further dispelled the Corner FC allegations by striking three times from open play at the Emirates Stadium, even if Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka's finishes were triggered by mistakes, and Martin Odegaard added a third with one of the worst shots he will ever strike.

Nevertheless, two triumphs, one trophy, six goals scored and none conceded represents an impeccable start to 2026-27 for Arsenal and Arteta, who also became the fifth-quickest manager to reach 150 Premier League victories two Fridays ago.

Yet another marvellous milestone is on the line for Arsenal this weekend, as having won each of their last four opening away fixtures of a Premier League season, they could prevail in five in a row for the first time in their entire 140-year history.

The reigning champions have also kept clean sheets in each of those four victories against Manchester United, Crystal Palace - twice - and Villa themselves, suggesting that Arteta's 250th Premier League game on Monday night will be another joyous occasion.

Seagulls decimating lions is impossible to imagine in the animal kingdom, but Fabian Hurzeler's avian hosts needed just 31 minutes to annihilate an appalling Aston Villa outfit on the South Coast in gameweek one.

From a Victor Lindelof own goal to a debut red card for Joao Gomes, everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong for Villa at the Amex Stadium, where the Lions were immediately plunged into the Premier League relegation zone.

Whether Villa's gameweek one embarrassment is indicative of long-term struggles post-Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans or a minor blip remains to be seen, but the board have swiftly responded with two marquee captures in Leon Goretzka and Ollie Watkins's expected successor Nicolas Jackson.

The pair will now assist in Villa's quest to extend a tremendous trend, as the hosts have won each of their last three Premier League home games against reigning champions, overcoming Liverpool last season after victories over Man City in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

Few Lions fans will forget Emiliano Buendia's bedlam-inducing late winner in this fixture last season - Villa's fourth success from their last seven Premier League home games vs. Arsenal - but Arteta's men responded with a 4-1 home humbling just a few weeks later.

Aston Villa Premier League form:

Arsenal Premier League form:

Arsenal form (all competitions):

Team News

© Iconsport / PA Images

Unveiled on the Emirates pitch shortly before Arsenal crushed Coventry, £55m defender Ezri Konsa is available to make his Gunners debut against his former employers, but a spot on the bench surely awaits as Arteta sticks with a tried-and-tested defensive formula.

The Arsenal boss did not rule out Bruno Guimaraes returning from a minor groin issue either, but Jurrien Timber remains out with a similar concern, while William Saliba (back) is a long-term absentee.

Two of the Gunners' Gabis - Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus - should also be omitted amid speculation over their futures; the former has supposedly agreed personal terms with Al-Hilal ahead of a record-breaking £55.6m transfer.

Martinelli and Watkins will soon be rubbing shoulders in Saudi Arabia, as Emery confirmed the Englishman's departure on Friday, before Jackson's mega-money signing from Chelsea was officially announced.

Jackson and Goretzka have both been registered in time to face Arsenal, but Gomes begins a three-game ban for violent conduct, while Amadou Onana (knee) remains out for the long-term.

No updates were delivered on Johan Manzambi (knee) or Brian Madjo (unspecified) either, but neither youngster is expected to be back in competitive action before September.

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Ruggeri; Bogarde, Kamara; Buendia, Barkley, McGinn; Jackson

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz

We say: Aston Villa 0-2 Arsenal

Villa Park has not been Arsenal's favourite haunt in the current decade, and Emery's side have made a habit of taking down the holders on home soil in recent years.

However, the early-season evidence only points to the continuation of Arsenal's perfect start, even if we do not expect them to replicate Brighton's glut of goals.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.