Arsenal predicted line-up vs Aston Villa: key change made as £42m star debuts

Last season, if there was one game that took the Premier League title away from Arsenal, it was the home defeat to Aston Villa, which not only strengthened Villa’s Champions League position but also delivered a damaging blow to the Gunners' Premier League ambitions.

Mikel Arteta will be looking to send a strong message that they mean business, and a win against the often hard-to-beat Villa would be the best way to start. The Gunners secured a victory against Wolves on the opening day of the season, while Villa showed their strength by beating West Ham 2-1 at the London Stadium.

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Goalkeeper and Defence

Mikel Arteta firmly believes that a goalkeeper should be as competent with his feet as he is with his hands, so it’s a no-brainer that David Raya will start in goal. Additionally, Ricardo Calafiori, who watched from the bench against Wolves, is likely to make his debut. Ben White, Gabriel Magalhães, and William Saliba are expected to retain their spots at the heart of the Arsenal defence.

Midfield

The midfield is the heart of the team, and the return of Thomas Partey, who has been a huge miss due to injury, is a significant boost. He’ll be joined by captain Martin Ødegaard and the ever-reliable Declan Rice. Arteta seems to favour having a defender step into midfield to bolster numbers, so expect to see Ricardo Calafiori involved in that role.

Attack

Arsenal boasts one of the best attacks in the league, with Bukayo Saka on the right, Kai Havertz in the middle, and Gabriel Martinelli on the left. While Leandro Trossard is vying for a starting position, Arteta seems to prefer keeping him as an option off the bench, likely bringing him on when the going gets tough.

Last season, Aston Villa went 15 games unbeaten at home, and if they are to replicate their form from last season, they’ll need to match that performance here.

Predicted Arsenal Team

 Raya, Calafiori, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Partey, Rice, Ødegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz.