Football Analysis: Aston Villa vs Arsenal – Premier League Round 2, 2024/25. The match between Aston Villa and Arsenal in Round 2 of the Premier League 2024/25 will take place at 23:30 on August 24. RecSport will analyze team news, expected line-ups, and score predictions.
Form Analysis: Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Aston Villa made an impressive start to the season with a 2-1 victory over West Ham in the opening round of the Premier League, thanks to a decisive goal from striker Jhon Duran in the 89th minute. Duran, who had an unremarkable previous season, is showing significant improvement and becoming a key player for Aston Villa. Previously, he had expressed a desire to move to West Ham on social media, but the transfer ultimately did not materialize.
Although Aston Villa created numerous chances against West Ham but couldn’t capitalize on them all, this victory ended their 4-match winless streak in the Premier League. Under the management of Unai Emery, the team is consistently finding the net, scoring at least 2 goals in each of their last 8 home matches.
Arsenal also had a strong start to the new season with a 2-0 win against Wolves, marking their 7th consecutive Premier League victory. Arsenal’s impressive away form is also evident, with 25 points from their last 9 matches.
However, Aston Villa is the only team that managed to defeat Arsenal both home and away last season. This shows Emery’s familiarity with his former club and his ability to secure victories against them.
Team News: Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Aston Villa faces some personnel issues ahead of the crucial match against Arsenal this weekend. Right-back Matty Cash had to leave the field during the match against West Ham. If Cash is unable to play, Kosta Nedeljkovic will be the alternative. Emery might also use Ezri Konsa as right-back, allowing Diego Carlos to return to central defense. Boubacar Kamara and Tyrone Mings are still recovering from injuries.
Arsenal also has some injury concerns. Declan Rice suffered a cramp during the Wolves game and had to leave the field, but he is expected to recover in time. Fabio Vieira (hip injury) might also return, but defenders Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu will need a few more weeks to recover.
Expected Line-ups: Aston Villa vs Arsenal
- Aston Villa (4-4-2): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Bailey, Tielemans, Onana, McGinn; Watkins, Duran
- Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Expert Prediction
According to former player Michael Owen, Aston Villa is the new nemesis for Arsenal. Unai Emery seems to have a deep understanding of his former club and knows how to surprise them.
Key Statistics
- Aston Villa has scored in 9 of the last 10 encounters with Arsenal.
Score Prediction: 2-1