Monday serves us up a fascinating Premier League clash as Arsenal and Aston Villa meet under the floodlights at Villa Park.
The two teams started their seasons very differently, with Aston Villa collapsing in their opener; that’s why my Arsenal vs. Aston Villa predictions expect Arsenal to win by over 1.5 goals.
Read on for my free betting picks for Monday, Aug 31, with kickoff at 3:00 p.m. ET on USA Network.
Aston Villa vs Arsenal picks and predictions
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TOP PICK
Who will win Aston Villa vs Arsenal: Arsenal -1.5 goals
Kalshi probability: 39%
Aston Villa are already in serious trouble this season, having seen a number of players leave to meet financial regulations. Villa opened their season with a 4-0 defeat to Brighton, and it all started with a total defensive collapse, which is a serious concern.
Villa started that game well, pushing forward, but were hit harder on the counterattack, which is a serious issue against this Arsenal team, who have real speed in Bukayo Saka and Christos Tzolis on the break.
Villa’s midfield is lacking bite, with injuries and transfers causing major problems. Arsenal can dictate the tempo here, and their midfield now has the ability to attack from deeper.
Bruno Guimaraes can arrive late in the box, and Myles Lewis-Skelly has the dribbling ability to bring the ball through central positions, which will pull Villa players out of position and create spaces for the Arsenal forward line.
The Gunners kept a clean sheet last weekend and will be confident of repeating that here, especially with Ollie Watkins set for a move to Saudi Arabia, meaning that Villa will once again have to start with a midfielder, Emi Buendia, leading the line.
Aston Villa vs Arsenal Over/Under pick: Over 2.5 goals
Kalshi probability: 54%
I’m very confident Arsenal will win by at least 1.5 goals, and in doing so, we’ll probably see Over 2.5 goals in the game.
The likelihood is that the majority, if not all, goals will come from Arsenal on Monday, due to Villa’s lack of striking options, which is why Arsenal -1.5 goals is the best bet.
That said, I would expect Arsenal to score three goals. They now have real strength in depth in their squad, meaning that should the first-choice lineup break the deadlock, they have good quality players to bring on.
Kai Havertz will start up top, but Viktor Gyokeres is a good deputy and one who has shown an ability ot bring others into play. It’s a small sample size, but so far this Arsenal attack looks to have developed from last season, with more fluidity and movement around the striker.
The creative abilities of Martin Odegaard, as well as those of the deeper midfield players mentioned above, have created a side better equipped to break down the opposition.
The Villa central defensive duo of Victor Lindelof and Pau Torres is experienced, but they lack the speed of the departed Ezri Konsa, and that is an issue against wide forwards who can run in and attack the back two.
Aston Villa vs Arsenal odds
 Aston Villa |
 Arsenal |
|
|---|---|---|
| 13% | Moneyline | 65% |
| 23% | Draw | 23% |
| Over 2.5 (54%) | Total | Under 2.5 (54%) |
Odds courtesy of Kalshi.
Aston Villa vs Arsenal opening odds
- Moneyline: Aston Villa 13% | Arsenal 65%
- Draw: 23%
- Over/Under: Over 2.5 (54%) | Under 2.5 (54%)
How to watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal
| Location | Villa Park, Birmingham, England |
| Date | Monday, August 31, 2026 |
| Time | 3 p.m. ET |
| TV | USA Network |
| Weather | Cloudy |
Aston Villa vs Arsenal key injuries
Aston Villa: Amadou Onana CM (Out), Brian Madjo STR (Out), Johan Manzambi CM (Out), Joao Gomes CM (Out).
Arsenal: William Saliba CB (CB), Jurrien Timber DEF (Out).
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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