Arsenal are back at the Emirates Stadium tonight as they take on Spanish side Villarreal in their penultimate pre-season friendly ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign. The highly anticipated clash, dubbed “Arsenal x Villarreal”, will give fans another chance to see new signings in action before the Gunners face Manchester United on August 17.
After impressive wins over AC Milan and Newcastle United, Mikel Arteta’s side slipped to their first pre-season defeat last week – a narrow 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the first-ever overseas North London Derby. Now, with just days left until competitive football returns, Arsenal will be looking to bounce back with a strong performance.
Arsenal x Villarreal – Match Details
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Fixture: Arsenal vs Villarreal
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Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2025
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Kick-off Time: 6:00 PM BST (1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT)
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Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
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Live Stream: Available via Arsenal.com and the official Arsenal app (match pass £4.99, or August bundle £8.99)
Note: The stream will be unavailable for viewers in Spain. Fans must update their Arsenal app to version 8.1.7 (iOS) or 11.11.10 (Android) to watch.
Arsenal Team News
Manager Mikel Arteta has handed a first start to Viktor Gyökeres following his £63.5 million move from Sporting CP. The Swedish striker made a brief debut against Spurs but will now have the opportunity to lead the line from the start.
Other new arrivals – Christian Nørgaard, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, and Cristhian Mosquera – are also expected to feature, with Madueke in line for his first Arsenal appearance after missing the Asia tour.
Injury updates:
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Gabriel Magalhães, Jurrien Timber, and Riccardo Calafiori are all nearing full fitness and should be ready for the Premier League opener.
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Leandro Trossard and Kepa Arrizabalaga are being monitored after minor knocks.
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Gabriel Jesus remains out with a long-term ACL injury.
Arsenal Starting XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Norgaard, Merino, Nwaneri; Saka, Martinelli, Gyökeres.
Villarreal Team News
Villarreal arrive in London preparing for their return to the Champions League after a strong La Liga season. The Spanish side have brought a familiar face – Nicolas Pépé – back to the Emirates. The Ivorian winger, who joined Arsenal for a then-club-record £72 million in 2019, will be eager to make an impression against his former club.
The visitors will be without defender Logan Costa due to a knee injury but still have experienced names like Gerard Moreno, Juan Foyth, and Dani Parejo in their ranks.
Villarreal Starting XI: Junior; Foyth, Marín, Mouriño, Cardona; Pépé, Gueye, Parejo, Moleiro; Moreno, Eyong.
Recent Form
Arsenal – Last 3 Matches
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Tottenham 1–0 Arsenal
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Arsenal 3–2 Newcastle
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AC Milan 0–1 Arsenal
Villarreal – Last 3 Matches
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Leeds United 1–1 Villarreal
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Sporting CP 1–0 Villarreal
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St. Gallen 2–2 Villarreal
What to Expect from Arsenal x Villarreal
Both sides are treating this as an important warm-up before their competitive seasons begin. For Arsenal, this is about fine-tuning their attack, integrating new signings, and tightening up at the back after defensive lapses against Spurs. Villarreal, meanwhile, will aim to frustrate Arteta’s side with a disciplined 4-4-2 setup.
Expect Arsenal to dominate possession, use the flanks with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, and give Gyökeres chances to open his account in front of the home fans. Villarreal will likely look to counter quickly, with Pépé and Moreno providing their main attacking threat.
Score Prediction
While Villarreal are a solid side, Arsenal’s quality, home advantage, and desire to respond to their last defeat should see them through.
Predicted Score: Arsenal 2–0 Villarreal
Key Takeaways
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Trending Keyword: Arsenal x Villarreal
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Kick-off: 6:00 PM BST, Wednesday, August 6
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Live stream: Arsenal.com and Arsenal app (£4.99 pass)
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First home start for Viktor Gyökeres
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Nicolas Pépé returns to the Emirates with Villarreal