Arsenal vs. Villarreal lineups, starting 11, confirmed team news, injuries as Gyokeres starts in Gunners preseason friendly

Arsenal face their next preseason test of the summer as they welcome Spanish side Villarreal to Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

After coming up just short both domestically and abroad last season, the Gunners are hoping to engineer a trophy chase on multiple fronts across the 2025/26 campaign.

Mikel Arteta is hoping to benefit from the arrival of big investment in the squad, with the signings of Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, and Noni Madueke. After an impressive season of near-misses despite clear squad deficiencies, there are high expectations now that many of those holes have been filled.

LIVE: Follow along with goals and highlights from Arsenal vs. Villarreal as they happen 

Arsenal’s preseason tour of Asia was largely a success, beating AC Milan and Newcastle before dropping a one-goal finale against rivals Tottenham. They will contest this match plus one more friendly in the Emirates Cup on Saturday before readying for the season proper.

For Villarreal, however, preseason has been foreboding. The club has done more selling than buying this summer, and they have slogged through a winless summer ramp-up that features draws with Leeds United and Real Oviedo plus defeats to Genoa and Sporting CP.

The Sporting News runs through the latest team news and injury updates for both sides as the match draws nearer.

Arsenal vs. Villarreal lineups, starting 11, team news, injuries

Arsenal have a few nagging injuries to work around as the season approaches. Riccardo Calafiori, Leandro Trossard, and Alberto Lokonga have all missed recent training due to minor injuries and were thought unlikely to participate. The first two are not in the squad, while Lokonga does appear on the bench.

Gabriel, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Reiss Nelson have all returned to training after recent fitness concerns, but may be treated with caution. None of the aforementioned players are in the starting lineup, with Jakob Kiwior in defence as Gabriel works his way back.

Viktor Gyokeres starts up front for the first time since joining from Sporting CP earlier this summer, while Noni Madueke is hoping to make his first appearance for the club after returning from an extended holiday following his time at the Club World Cup with Chelsea.

Gabriel Jesus is still working his way back from an ACL tear, hoping to be back in contention by October, while Fabio Viera is not with the team as he works on securing a move away. Kai Havertz was a surprise absentee from the squad.

Arsenal starting XI (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Raya (GK) — 4. White, 2. Saliba, 15. Kiwior, 49. Lewis-Skelly — 22. Nwaneri, 16. Norgaard, 23. Merino — 7. Saka, 14. Gyokeres, 11. Martinelli.

Injured: Calafiori, Trossard, Lokonga.

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Villarreal have banked significant funds on the departures of strikers Alex Baena and Thierno Barry this offseason, but have not replaced them as of now. They brought in winger Alberto Moleiro from Las Palmas, but he is not a like-for-like replacement at the head of the attack.

The thought could be to give Arnaut Danjuma another go after he returned from his loan at Girona last season, while aging Ayoze Perez, former Arsenal star Nicolas Pepe, or youth product Etta Eyong could get a chance as well. The latter two start today, with Pepe facing his former club.

Defender Logan Costa will be missing for likely the rest of 2025 after tearing his ACL in mid-July.

Villarreal starting XI (4-4-2, right to left): 1. Junior (GK) — 8. Foyth, 3. Marin, 15. Mourino, 23. Cardona — 19. Pepe, 18. Gueye, 10. Parejo, 20. Moleiro — 7. Moreno, 29. Eyong.

Injured: Costa (ACL).

Arsenal vs. Villarreal live stream, TV channel

Here’s how to watch this preseason friendly match across selected areas of the world’s major regions: