Where to watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal match, picks, live stream: Odds, prediction, TV channel, what to know

Two of last season’s top four teams will face off at Villa Park on Saturday, with Arsenal heading north with a view to revenge. Unai Emery’s side were the only team to take maximum points in their meetings with the Gunners last season, the two wins creating a major path for Aston Villa to secure Champions League football while dealing a major blow to their opponents’ title chances.

Those games could certainly have played out differently, and Arsenal will be determined to correct their mistakes, especially when they need to build a healthy points tally against Manchester City on September 22 (and the North London derby seven days earlier). “We need to say that [record against Villa] “We have to do it right and get that result this time,” said Arsenal right back Ben White. “I’m sure we will do it and prepare well for it.

“These are all big games, no matter who you play against. Anywhere in the season if you lose points you can get them back accordingly. There are games we have drawn that we should have won and those are two points we should have taken.”

Meanwhile the trip to Arsenal means being reunited with his former club for Emiliano Martinez, who this week signed a new contract with Villa until 2029. “I became the best in the world here and I want to continue developing myself,” the Argentine said. “I have a wonderful goalkeeper coach and a wonderful manager. This club wants to progress. It’s exciting to defend the goal at Villa Park and I get goosebumps every time I hear my name called in the stadium.”

Both teams started the season with solid wins, showing that rapid improvement is both needed and possible. Which team will take the field on Saturday afternoon? Here’s what you need to know:

Viewing Information

• date: Saturday, August 24 | Time: 12:30pm ET
• Place: Villa Park — Birmingham, United Kingdom
• TV: United States of America | Live Stream: Fubo (try it free)
• odds: Aston Villa +333; Draw +290; Arsenal -125

Team News

Aston Villa: Villa’s long-standing injury problems of last season are just beginning to heal and although Emery has given encouraging updates about Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara, the latter of whom is “a few weeks” away from returning to training, neither is close to joining the squad. At the same time, it will be good news for supporters that Villa are preparing themselves for Champions League commitments after the international break and have not suffered any new injuries. Whether or not Emery is willing to fully involve Ian Matteson for the first time since he joined from Chelsea will be an interesting subplot.

Probable Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Maatsen; Tielemans, Onana; Baily, Rodgers, McGinn; Watkins

Arsenal: There is also good news on the injury front for Mikel Arteta, who has an almost fully fit squad to choose from before heading to the Midlands. Takehiro Tomiyasu is recovering from a knee injury, while Fabio Vieira is expected to recover from a hip problem that forced him to sit out the opening weekend. Mikel Merino’s arrival will not be in time to play at Villa Park, but could his recruitment be a sign that Declan Rice is about to move deeper into midfield? Meanwhile Thomas Partey looks set to start at the base of midfield, but could be joined at left back by Jurion Timber or summer signing Riccardo Calafiori, who offer more defensive skill than Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Probable Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Partey, Odegaard, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli

Prediction

Arsenal will be intent on correcting the mistakes of last season and if they can break Villa’s offside trap more effectively than before, they will emerge victorious. choose: Aston Villa 1, Arsenal 2