Aston Villa Host Arsenal With Squad Rebuilt Over Summer
Nicolas Jackson makes his Villa debut and Ezri Konsa sits on the Arsenal bench against his former club in Monday's 8pm kick-off.
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Team News at Villa Park
Aston Villa and Arsenal met at Villa Park in the Premier League on Monday, with an 8pm BST kick-off shown on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.
BBC Sport reported that Nicolas Jackson made his debut for Villa, while defender Ezri Konsa, who joined Arsenal from Villa this summer, started on the bench against his former club.
The BBC's Nick Mashiter described a stark scene at the ground, with the North Stand a roofless shell as Villa rebuild it to take capacity to just over 50,000. Both clubs also wore new kits, the Guardian noted, with Villa's shirt dropping its traditional blue sleeves. Neither the BBC nor the Guardian reported a final score in the material available.
Villa's Summer Exodus
Villa arrived at the fixture having dismantled the squad that finished fourth last season and won the Europa League, beating Freiburg 3-0 in the final for the club's first trophy in 30 years.
Arsenal's own preview said only five starters from that final remain: Emiliano Buendia, John McGinn, Victor Lindelof, Pau Torres and Matty Cash. Morgan Rogers left for Chelsea in a £117 million move, Youri Tielemans joined Manchester United, Lucas Digne went to Paris Saint-Germain, and Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez departed alongside Konsa. The BBC put Villa's transfer income at £341.5m.
Incomings include goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, Matteo Ruggeri from Atletico Madrid, Leon Goretzka from Bayern Munich and Aaron Wan-Bissaka on loan from West Ham United. Arsenal's preview said Joao Gomes and Johann Manzambi were both unavailable for this game, and that Villa had lost the UEFA Super Cup to PSG and been beaten 4-0 at Brighton on the opening weekend, conceding all four before half-time. Sports Illustrated framed Villa as constrained by financial regulations, having repeatedly sold before buying and paid UEFA fines.
Arsenal's Start and the Emery Subplot
Arsenal opened the season with a 3-0 home win over Coventry. The BBC singled out £33.9m signing Christos Tzolis, who started on the left and looked a constant threat on his Premier League debut.
Sky Sports' Lewis Jones said the Club Brugge signing had four shots and eight touches in the opposition box, more than any other Arsenal player, and priced him at 15/8 to score. Jones also flagged Cash at 11/4 to be booked, noting the full-back was carded 12 times last season and Tzolis drew a card every 206 minutes at Brugge.
There is history between the dugouts. Sports Illustrated noted Unai Emery succeeded Arsene Wenger at Arsenal in 2018 and was replaced by Mikel Arteta 18 months later, and that Emery has won two of Arsenal's previous three visits to Villa Park. The BBC said Arsenal have won 15 Premier League games there, more than at any other away ground.
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