£75million summer signing Guimaraes miss that match against Frank Lampard’s Championship winners due to a groin issue, having come off a week earlier in Cardiff with an ice pack strapped to his thigh.
“We just managed the last few days with him [Guimaraes],” Arteta said at his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
“He’s out on the pitch, he’s been in training sessions. But we need to manage the load to get to Monday in the best possible condition to be available to be selected. He’s potentially available.”
If Guimaraes is ruled out, Arteta could be tempted to stick with an unchanged starting lineup against a Villa side who were thrashed 4-0 at Brighton on opening weekend.
Doubt: Bruno Guimaraes missed Arsenal’s Premier League opener against Coventry through injury
Getty
Ezri Konsa is expected to make the squad and is in contention for a debut against his former club, but Arteta could opt to give the defender minutes off the bench rather than starting him.
Reiss Nelson has now agreed a mutual termination of his contract at the Emirates Stadium and will become a free agent.
Although he has stepped up his training this week, Jurrien Timber remains unavailable after undergoing minor groin surgery over the summer. William Saliba is also still sidelined with his back issue.
Predicted Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Lewis-Skelly, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz
Time and date: 8pm BST on Monday August 31, 2026
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