Arsenal XI vs Aston Villa: Arteta to make 5 changes, Gyokeres and Eze start as William Saliba and Declan Rice decision made…

Arsenal XI vs Aston Villa: Arteta set to implement 5 changes | Potential Arsenal XI vs Aston Villa featuring Gyokeres and Eze in the starting lineup

Arsenal faces Aston Villa in the early Premier League match today at Villa Park.

The Gunners currently hold a five-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, providing them with a chance to increase their advantage with a favorable outcome against the Villans.

Unai Emery’s team trails Arsenal by six points after securing four consecutive league victories. The Gunners need to deliver a strong performance to overcome the Midlands side.

Historically, Villa has posed challenges for Arsenal, with only one win in their last four encounters, although that victory was a 2-0 triumph at Villa Park last season. The Gunners will strive to replicate that success.

In preparation for the match, it is expected that manager Mikel Arteta will make five alterations to the starting XI.

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Predicted Line-up:

David Raya achieved his eighth clean sheet of the league season against Brentford.

The Spaniard experienced a relatively uneventful match, aside from one remarkable save in the first half. He will be aiming for another clean sheet.

There may be a few adjustments to the defense. Arteta has consistently mentioned that it is a ‘matter of days’ before William Saliba makes his return from injury.

Given the significance of this match, the French defender could be reinstated into the starting lineup.

He appears set to partner Piero Hincapie in central defense. Cristhian Mosquera is sidelined for six to eight weeks due to an ankle injury, while Gabriel Magalhaes is also out until the New Year.

Ben White was named man of the match against Brentford, contributing an assist while winning 10 duels and four tackles. Despite this, he may find himself on the bench.

Considering Villa’s reputation for rapid counter-attacks, Arteta might bring back Jurrien Timber in the right-back position.

The Netherlands international possesses excellent recovery speed and performs better in one-on-one situations.

Riccardo Calafiori is expected to retain his position at left-back ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly once again.

Declan Rice experienced an injury scare earlier this week, but he confirmed after the match that he is ‘fine‘.

The English midfielder is set to partner with Martin Zubimendi in the central midfield role.

Martin Odegaard is expected to play as the attacking midfielder against the Villans, but we foresee a complete reshuffle of the front three.

Noni Madueke had some promising moments on the right wing against Brentford and was instrumental in White’s assist for Mikel Merino’s opening goal.

Nevertheless, he is likely to be replaced by Bukayo Saka, who is typically a guaranteed starter. Saka demonstrated his quality as a substitute with a late goal in midweek.

Leandro Trossard may be fit for the match, but we would personally prefer Eberechi Eze to take the left wing position over Gabriel Martinelli.

Martinelli did not win any of his duels against Chelsea (0/5) and had a success rate of 33 percent on Wednesday (3/9). He missed a significant opportunity to score.

Eze boasts an impressive record against Villa, netting five goals and providing three assists in 14 encounters. He should be selected as the left winger for today’s match.

Initially, we favored Mikel Merino to play upfront due to his outstanding recent form. The Spaniard has contributed to five goals in his last four league appearances.

However, this match may require the services of Viktor Gyokeres from the start. Villa plays with a high defensive line, which could be advantageous for the Swede.

Gyokeres is better equipped with his robust physique and speed to exploit spaces behind the defense.

How Arsenal might line up against Aston Villa

Predicted Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Hincapie, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli

Doubts: Mosquera (ankle), Rice (calf), Saliba (knock), and Trossard (calf)

Injured: Gabriel (thigh) and Havertz (knee)

Time and date: 12.30pm GMT on Saturday, December 6, 2025

Venue: Villa Park

How to watch: TNT Sports