BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta has a thigh injury and could miss the first six weeks of the season.

Thomas Vermaelen and Nacho Monreal are out with back injuries, but there could be a debut for new recruit Yaya Sanogo.

Aston Villa midfielder Yacouba Sylla is expected to miss the game with a twisted ankle, while Chris Herd is struggling with a calf injury.

Antonio Luna, Jores Okore and winger Aleksandar Tonev are the most likely starters among Villa’s six signings.

MATCH PREVIEW

I’m reluctant to put my neck on the line before a ball’s been kicked, but I confidently predict that these two will both finish in the top 10 this season.

Not a dangerous gamble with Arsenal I know, yet I don’t believe it’s taking a risk with Villa either.

The more last season went on, the more impressive Paul Lambert’s side were, and the addition of six more young new signings should only improve his squad further AND the supporters’ belief in the idea of evolution through youth.

At 23, the exciting Bulgarian winger Aleksander Tonev is the oldest of Villa’s new boys, and if, as expected, Shay Given departs this transfer window – there won’t be a single player aged 30 or above in the squad.

As well as the incomers, seven of last season’s team have signed new long-term deals this summer, with the persuasion of Christian Benteke to stay surely the most important signing of all. Will Arsenal fans be looking at him thinking what they could have had?

They have signed one player who’s been likened to Benteke (20-year-old Frenchman Yaya Sanogo) – but that’s it, just one player. You can understand some Gooners thinking it’s ‘groundhog season’ again.

Bids for superstars like Luis Suarez and Gonzalo Higuain show that Arsene Wenger is trying to strengthen with sizeable funds available, and the boss insists the club will be active in the transfer market until deadline day.

Until a marquee name arrives, however, he needs a really good start to keep all the loyal Emirates customers on-side and optimistic.

This was the place that saw more goals than any other in the Premier League last season, and with Walcott, Giroud, Benteke and Weimann all firing well in pre-season the promise for more is strong; 0-0 then!

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

  • Arsenal have lost only two of their last 29 league meetings with Aston Villa (W18, D9, L2).
  • Villa have only won twice on their last 27 league trips to Arsenal, although both of those were at the Emirates Stadium. Villa have taken eight points from seven visits to the stadium, including a 1-1 draw in the first competitive fixture there on the opening day of the 2006-07 season.

Arsenal

  • The Gunners lost only one of their last 16 Premier League games in 2012-13 (W12, D3, L1), clinching Champions League qualification for the 16th consecutive season.
  • Arsenal are unbeaten on the opening day in 12 seasons since a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland in 2000 (W8, D4). Arsene Wenger’s side have drawn their first game in each of the last three seasons.
  • It is 20 years since they lost at home on the opening weekend – a 3-0 defeat by Coventry.
  • Arsenal took 32 points from the teams who finished in the bottom six last season; only Manchester United (36) fared better.
  • They only conceded in the final 15 minutes of one Premier League match in 2012-13 (two goals v Swansea).
  • Theo Walcott scored with one in four of his attempts on goal last season, compared to one in six for the average forward.

Aston Villa

  • Villa have played their opening fixture away from Villa Park 12 times in the Premier League era and have only won once (1-0 at Newcastle in 1999), drawing seven and losing four.
  • However, they were the only top-flight side to earn more points away (21) than at home (20) last season.
  • Paul Lambert’s side earned 17 points from their last 10 games last season to avoid relegation (W5, D2, L3).
  • Villa ended last season with their worst defensive record since 1986-87, having conceded 69 goals.
  • Christian Benteke scored or created 49% of the club’s Premier League goals last season – a higher proportion than any other top-  flight player. He scored seven goals in five pre-season matches this summer.

 

SOURCE : BBC