Aston Villa face three major selection decisions before Arsenal visit Villa Park after Sunday’s 4-0 defeat at Brighton exposed serious problems in attack, midfield and defence.
Unai Emery’s side conceded four times inside 31 minutes and failed to register a shot on target. Opta confirmed it was the first time Villa had gone through an entire Premier League match without testing the opposition goalkeeper since October 2022.
Arsenal represent considerably more dangerous opponents. The champions opened their title defence with a 3-0 victory against Coventry, leaving Emery with little room to repeat the mistakes made at the Amex Stadium.
Aston Villa must solve Ollie Watkins and Alejandro Garnacho questions
Villa started without a recognised centre-forward against Brighton after Ollie Watkins was omitted from the matchday squad. Ross Barkley struggled to provide an attacking outlet, leaving Emi Buendía and the supporting midfielders with almost nothing ahead of them.
Watkins’ situation remains uncertain after reports that he rejected a four-year Aston Villa contract offer. If the England international is unavailable against Arsenal, Emery needs another natural striker ready to lead the line.
There is some encouragement on that front. Emery has suggested Tammy Abraham and Brian Madjo could return to training, although neither has yet been confirmed fit for Monday’s fixture.
Alejandro Garnacho must also come into consideration after entering the Brighton defeat in the 86th minute. Villa badly lacked pace and direct running, and asking the summer signing to influence proceedings from the start would offer a clearer attacking threat.
Leon Goretzka could replace suspended João Gomes
João Gomes’ red card at Brighton has created an immediate midfield vacancy. The Brazilian was dismissed for violent conduct after kicking out at Georginio Rutter and is expected to miss the Arsenal match through suspension.
With Amadou Onana sidelined and Johan Manzambi unlikely to recover in time, Emery’s options alongside Boubacar Kamara are limited. John McGinn could drop deeper, while Barkley provides another alternative if required.
Leon Goretzka would offer a more natural solution if his move is completed before the fixture. Villa have reached an agreement to sign the former Bayern Munich midfielder, but his medical, contract and registration must be finalised before he can be considered.
That distinction matters because Arsenal possess the quality to dominate an unsettled midfield. Emery cannot plan around Goretzka until his availability is confirmed, but the Germany international could quickly become one of Villa’s most important potential starters.
Zion Suzuki and Tyrone Mings offer defensive alternatives
The clearest evidence for change came from Villa’s defensive performance at Brighton. Victor Lindelöf scored an own goal, Pau Torres struggled to contain Brighton’s movement and the back line conceded four times before the match reached the 32nd minute.
Villa’s player ratings reflected the scale of that collapse, with both starting centre-backs enduring difficult afternoons. Tyrone Mings looked more assured after replacing Torres and could offer greater leadership against Arsenal.
Zion Suzuki is another decision for Emery after remaining on the bench, as confirmed by Sky Sports’ matchday team sheet. Marco Bizot was badly exposed rather than solely responsible for the defeat, but Villa must decide when their new goalkeeper becomes part of the starting side.
There is also uncertainty around potential defensive reinforcements, with Joel Ordóñez yet to complete a proposed Villa move. Until any deal is finalised, Emery’s immediate answers will have to come from players already available.
With Arsenal due at Villa Park on Monday 31 August, Villa have limited time to resolve all three areas. Another makeshift attack, weakened midfield and unchanged defence would leave the champions facing precisely the problems Brighton exposed.
