Aston Villa vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League champions face tough test as Konsa returns and Jackson makes debut | OneFootball

Aston Villa host Arsenal in the Premier League as they look to brush off a harrowing 4-0 defeat to Brighton in their opening fixture last week.

Unai Emery’s side conceded four goals inside the first 31 minutes of the new season as they were dismantled by Brighton showing that their summer exits have cost the team its identity. Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne, Youri Tielemans, Emi Martinez, Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa have departed the club this summer and the manager is now tasked with overseeing a rebuild whilst keeping the team competitive in both England and Europe.

Tonight’s encounter with Arsenal could show how well they will do this season as a competitive performance would bring confidence whilst a second capitulation in as many games would set the alarm bells ringing.

For their part, the Premier League champions, who signed Konsa from Villa, were on top form in their first match having dispatched Coventry City 3-0. Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard all got on the scoresheet and the formidable trio will aim to replicate that form this evening.

Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal

3 mins: Arsenal will want to maintain possession and look to break Villa down with slick passes and darting runs from wide.

Villa will be aiming to keep things tight and shore up the defence with memories of Brighton ripping through them still fresh in the mind.

Matty Cash gets forward on the right wing for Villa and the ball is scooped over to him. He drills a low pass into the area towards Emi Buendia but Gabriel is on hand to clear the danger.

Younger generation seem happy with Jackson

Emery on maintaining 'special' Aston Villa

“I want to keep some players like they were helping us to be successful, and how they were understanding everything we needed as mentally, and as players as well with their skills,” said Villa boss Unai Emery.

“But I accept because I have experiences before in the same situation, and when I arrived here, I knew where I was arriving.

“And everything we are doing is really being fantastic. I expect the same. To continue doing special and different ways, with different players, but always thinking it’s something special, and something positive.”

Unai Emery has lost a number of key names this summer (Reuters)

Five in a row?

Arsenal have won their first away game in each of the last four Premier League seasons, also keeping a clean sheet each time.

The Gunners have never won their opening away game in five consecutive league campaigns before.

Mike Jones31 August 2026 19:35

Arsenal’s Julian Alvarez gamble has paid off – with two cards still to play

Arsenal’s patient approach could yet pay off amid Atletico Madrid’s explosive breakdown in relations with Barcelona - now, the Gunners must lean on sporting director Andrea Berta to smooth negotiations, and be prepared to send another attacker the other way.

Arsenal’s Julian Alvarez gamble has paid off – with two cards still to play

Arsenal’s patient approach could yet pay off amid Atletico Madrid’s explosive breakdown in relations with Barcelona - now, the Gunners must lean on sporting director Andrea Berta to smooth negotiations, and be prepared to send another attacker the other way

Miguel Delaney31 August 2026 19:30

Emery on his task to rebuild Villa

Unai Emery spoke about the tumultuous summer that Aston Villa have experienced and how they move forward from here.

“We must compete, we must win, we have to rebuild the team as fast as possible, we have to accept our way, our decisions, and why we are taking some decisions, but I am positive, and we are working,” he explained.

“At the same time, rebuilding the team with the players, they can understand how we want to play, and trying to understand some necessary time for some players to adapt to us.

“Of course, some players, they will need time more than others, and the players, they are with us for a long time. They must compete now, strong, and of course with all the ideas we were building, and trying to adapt the new players as fast as possible.”

(AP)

Mike Jones31 August 2026 19:25