Aston Villa welcome Arsenal to Villa Park this coming Saturday (5:30pm KO) in what is the first meeting of the new season between two sides who occupied last year’s top four Premier League places. Both posted opening weekend victories; Arsenal downed Wolves at the Emirates before Villa, later in the day, disposed of West Ham while also in the capital.
Villa had great success against the traditional top six last year and indeed completed a home and away double against Unai Emery’s old employers. This year, they’ll be intending to continue in that form across into this campaign.
Arsenal were denied their first Premier League title since 2004 by yet another Manchester City tilt last year; the Gunners have increased their final points tally for four successive seasons under Mikel Arteta but must go one better again to stand a chance of ending City’s dominance.
Timber, 23, cost Arsenal £34m but played just three times last year and will hope to see plenty more action this term. He can play across the back four and is a viable option to start at Villa Park ahead of Zinchenko if Arteta saw fit to involve him. Indeed it’d be only his second start for the club in any capacity.
Our colleagues at Football.London also float the idea that Leandro Trossard could get the nod on the left in B6; he came off the bench against Wolves too and is vying for a place in the starting XI alongside Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli, who started on the left of Kai Havertz at the weekend.
