Overview
Arsenal had a favorable opening day in the 2024-2025 Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Wolves. Coach Mikel Arteta's team still shows flaws in their playing style, especially in defense. However, this is understandable when the season has just begun.
The real challenge will come to Arsenal in round 2 when they have to play away to Aston Villa. Surely "Gunners" fans have not forgotten the 0-2 defeat in the second leg last season, which contributed to them losing the championship to Man City. Ironically, this was also Arsenal's only point loss in the final 17 matches last season.
As for Aston Villa, they lost an important pillar in the midfield when Douglas Luiz moved to Juventus. However, the home team at Villa Park was promptly replaced by rookie Amadou Onana from Everton. In the opening match of the Premier League, coach Unai Emery's team also won 2-1 against West Ham.
In recent years, Aston Villa has emerged as an annoying team in the Premier League. Therefore, with home field advantage, Emery's team will cause many difficulties for Arsenal .
Notably, recent matches between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park often do not have many goals. In the last 6 meetings between the two teams at this stadium, only once had more than 1 goal.
At home last season, Aston Villa won 12 wins, 4 draws and lost only 3. Meanwhile, Arsenal won 13, drew 3 and lost 3 away from home in the Premier League.
Personnel situation
Aston Villa will be without the services of Boubacar Kamara, Tyrone Mings and Robin Olsenall due to injury. Matty Cash was hurt in the match against West Ham but can return in time.
On the other side of the front line, Fabio Vieira, Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all definitely absent due to injury.
Expected lineup:
Aston Villa : Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Bailey, Tielemans, Onana, McGinn, Watkins, Duran.
Arsenal : Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.
The match between Aston Villa and Arsenal takes place at 11:30 p.m. on August 24 (Vietnam time), live on VTV Cab.
