Merino debut! (4-2-1-3): Confirmed Arsenal XI vs Aston Villa – as Mikel Arteta makes three crucial changes to destroy the Unai Emery’s men
Arsenal head to Aston Villa in an early test of their Premier League title credentials this weekend.
The Gunners eased to a 2-0 win over Wolves in their opening game of the new season last Saturday with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka on target for the hosts.
Arsenal have a relatively clean bill of health ahead of their trip to Villa Park with Jurrien Timber returning to action on the opening weekend
The Dutch defender missed Arsenal’s final two pre-season games but was introduced as a second-half substitute against Wolves.
Takehiro Tomiyasu is still a number of weeks away from his return having suffered a knee injury that ruled him out of Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the US. Kieran Tierney is also still out after his hamstring injury suffered at Euro 2024.
Fabio Vieira has been dealing with a hip injury but could return to the squad this weekend.
Mikel Arteta could name an unchanged XI for the meeting with Unai Emery’s side – although Leandro Trossard is an option to come in and replace Gabriel Martinelli on the left.
Summer signing Riccardo Calafiori is fit and available after remaining among the subs last Saturday and is an option to come in if the Gunners boss sees fit to make changes.
His regular centre-half partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães were among the five Arsenal stars named in the PFA Team of the Season this week alongside David Raya, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
Predicted Arsenal XI to face Aston Villa
Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
