AS much as Aston Villa impressed last season, and for all that they achieved, doubts remain about their ability to ‘go again’ in the months ahead.

When it comes to maintaining league form it can reasonably be argued that Champions League football is a far more taxing proposition than the Europa Conference, demanding maximum commitment and the best players made available. It can negatively impact on Saturdays either side of a fixture, as Newcastle can attest to.

Furthermore, losing Douglas Luiz to Juventus in the summer was a seismic blow, the midfielder pivotal to their fine campaign.

There is also a psychological point to consider. From high achievements come sky-high expectations.

An opening day win at the London Stadium last weekend assuaged these doubts to an extent, Aston Villa trusting in a process that gained them twenty victories last term, their most in the top-flight since 1993.

Ezri Konsa and company at the back rendered the host’s forward line ordinary while Youri Tielemans was decent in the middle. Morgan Rogers meanwhile transferred his brilliant pre-season form to competitive fare and of course it’s pertinent that Amadou Onana settled into proceedings with an early goal, the Belgian being Luiz’s replacement.

Yet for all this, plus Unai Emery’s elite acumen, and the prospect of Ollie Watkins scoring and assisting for fun again once he’s up to full speed, a truth persists that needs to be acknowledged. That the Midlands giant could finish fourth next spring, for the second season running, thus firmly establishing themselves among a new-look ‘big six’.

Or gravity could take hold after a swift ascent and they ultimately underwhelm.

 

If some uncertainty accompanies Villa’s short-term future the same cannot be said of Arsenal whose season – or at least the bulk of it – appears to be predestined.

For the third time of asking, the Gunners are tasked with fending off a ruthless, relentless Manchester City and from the get-go we can largely expect them to be consistently superb: solid, bordering on impenetrable, at the back while a plethora of creatives take it in turns to put on a masterclass in the final third.

Last time out, Mikel Arteta’s men remained unbeaten until early November and another imperious start awaits, even if the toughest tests come early on this occasion with Villa Park leading into away games at Spurs and City, with Brighton in between. With Arsenal looking ravenous, highly motivated, and moreover, in pretty good shape, it is not remotely beyond the pale to predict them meeting each of these challenges head on and prevailing.

 

This lofty claim incidentally is not based on what occurred at the Emirates last Saturday.

The title contenders were fluid and sharp, enjoying an opening afternoon full of positives by extending on a buoyant pre-season but in fairness Wolves were there for the taking, toothless and passive. The visitors were no barometer of exactly how good Arsenal are right now. They were fodder.

Still, Kai Havertz started 2024/25 as he left 2023/24, nodding home the opener to add to his couple of goals in recent friendlies. The German saw out last term with six goal involvements in five and once again he has quietened talk of the Gunners needing a new striker this summer.

As for Bukayo Saka, he was typically impactful throughout, racking up five shots, three of which were on target. There were also five key passes made while no player across the Premier League’s opening weekend had more touches inside the opposition penalty area.

 

An inaugural clean sheet was a further cause for encouragement but another is not anticipated against the Villans who, let’s not forget, secured a double over Arsenal last season. The second of these victories proved to be a coffin nail in the Gunners’ title hopes.

Indeed, Villa boast a splendid record in this fixture, winning three of the last five at home by a goal to nil and almost always getting on the scoresheet, even in defeat. In the last nine encounters they have averaged 1.5 goals per 90.

Naturally, Arsenal can give as good as they get in this regard and goals are fancied in the Midlands, with thoughts turning to the thoroughly entertaining 4-2 shoot-out in February 2023.

They may come early too. Last term, no team scored more goals prior to the break than the Gunners while Villa had the third highest percentage of their total tally converted in first halves.

 

A loss for Villa this weekend won’t bring about doom or gloom, so long as they put up a fight and properly test the best back-line of 2023/24. Similarly, an away win won’t tell us much about Arteta’s troops because we’re almost getting used now to them haring off from the start-line.

The bigger, more meaningful conclusions about each side therefore can wait. For now, let’s just sit back and enjoy a fixture that unfailingly produces drama and front-foot football.

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