Martinez replaced
The Villa fans have taken their old chant for Emi Martinez – “the world’s No 1” – and sung it to Zion Suzuki.”
Richard Jolly31 August 2026 20:32
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
30 mins: Half an hour played and neither team has wrestled control of the match.
The Gunners have a free kick over on their right wing.
Declan Rice delivers it but Maatsen is there to deal with it.
Matty Cash and Christos Tzolis then come together as the Arsenal winger attempts to bring the ball forward again. Cash wins the ball and is then fouled earning Tzolis a yellow card.
Mike Jones31 August 2026 20:31
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
A swift move from Villa sees them switch the play from right to left with Ross Barkley feeding Ian Maatsen into space on the wing.
Maatsen darts into the box and lets fly but his effort isn’t great and he fires it wide of the far post.
Mike Jones31 August 2026 20:27
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
24 mins: Saka takes on Torres and wins Arsenal a corner kick.
It’s slick and quick from the Gunners when passing.
Saka himself takes the set piece and whips the ball into the area. Declan Rice leaps to win the header and powers it at goal.
Zion Suzuki makes a fine reactionary save and tips the ball over the bar before the whistle goes to award Villa a free kick after Gabriel tugged down John McGinn in the build up to the corner.
Mike Jones31 August 2026 20:26
This is better from Villa
This is already a lot better from Villa after the horror show against Brighton.
“Although, arguably, anything else was always likely to be.”
Richard Jolly at Villa Park31 August 2026 20:24
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
21 mins: Pau Torres blocks off a Ben White underlapping run and boots the ball off the Arsenal defender to win a throw in for the hosts.
Villa have been a lot better tonight. They look sharper and more focused.
Arsenal are still in first gear. They’ve not sparked into life but neither have they been challenged.
Mike Jones31 August 2026 20:23
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
18 mins: Aston Villa win a corner and swing the ball into the box towards the near post.
Riccardo Calafiori is there to head the ball away but the hosts recycle it and Hemmings is the man to drive back into the left side of the area.
He doesn’t get far before losing possession but the youngster isn’t short of confidence.
Mike Jones31 August 2026 20:20
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
15 mins: Quarter of an hour played and nothing to split the teams yet. Both have had moments of joy.
The most recent comes to Arsenal after Kai Havertz is slipped into the box by Martin Odegaard.
He’s got time to set himself and shoot but he curls the shot wide of the far post and is only saved by the offside flag being raised.
Most of Arsenal’s attacking intent is coming down their right side with Ben White and Bukayo Saka combining well to drive the champions forward.
Mike Jones31 August 2026 20:15
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
Christos Tzolis is dragged off the ball as Villa come forward. It rolls loose to Buendia who decides to strike one from range.
David Raya is off his line and is caught off guard. The ball goes over his hand and dips onto the crossbar!
It bounds out of play but that’s a warning for Arsenal not to switch off. They’d almost stopped assuming Tzolis had been fouled.
Mike Jones31 August 2026 20:13
Arsenal were admirers of Morgan Rogers
A subplot of this game is that Arsenal were among the admirers of Morgan Rogers.
“They didn’t get him or Vinicius Junior so Christos Tzolis starts on the left.
“Villa have signed two Rogers replacements, in Alejandro Garnacho and Ibrahim Mbaye, but it is the youngster George Hemings who starts.”
Richard Jolly at Villa Park31 August 2026 20:11