Nicolas Pepe caught fire in the first goal of Villarreal in Arsenal as Myles Lewis-skelly and Jakub Kiwior were caught for the 16-minute opener in a pre-season friendship at the Emirates Stadium.
The winger Pepe, the second signing for Arsenal’s highest courtesy of his £ 72 million bad move by Nice in 2019, hit close after Pape Gueye sent a shot from outside the box against a place and goalkeeper David Raya could not keep Gerard Moreno’s heading.
Karl etta Eyong repeated the trick 17 minutes later from the neighboring quarters in the same way after Raya’s fine break from Moreno’s strike, but Christian Norgaard provided a much-needed exemption measure for Premier League Side, opened his account for his new club with a free header in the 36th minute from the corner of Gabriel Martinelli.
“It’s good play by Villarreal but really poor from Arsenal, turning off,” former Gunners winger Perry Groves told Arsenal’s website about the first goal, adding second: “He really defends sloppy-no one goes to the runner.”
It smells it. He looks for it. He should. Etta Eyong and his idle for the purpose. 👽 pic.twitter.com/qrwqqxbp9
– Villarreal CF (@VillarrealCf) August 6, 2025
Arsenal vs Villarreal: Lewisis-sery ‘should be faster’
The left of Myles Lewis-Selly struggled to contain a pepe on the right side for the side that qualified for the Champions League with a finish in fifth in the Laliga last season.
“It was very good games from Pepe,” said Groves, a top two-time flight champion with Arsenal. “Lewis-skey wants to get himself much closer.
“Gueye had too much space and caught a shot that came out after a place. Villarreal recycled and we were not quick enough to get to the first and second balls.
“Kiwior is trying to protect the ball (in front of the goal) when he should be cooked with the left foot. Pepe runs around his back.
“It’s ahead of the season and I know things are a little rusty but Lewis-Jiskelly managed to get to Pepe faster in the general games, as he stops getting his pace.”
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Christian Norgaard: Arsenal’s first target
As he was for the first time, Sergi Cardona was the catalyst for the second of Villarreal with the speed, deception and the left-wing ability.
“No one goes to the runner,” observed Groves. “He saves really good from David Raya, who brings the big left for him.”
The Norgaard midfielder, who arrived from Brentford for £ 15m in July, planted his head under goalkeeper Luiz Junior.
“It’s completely unmarked in the place away,” Groves said. “It’s a very good technical header. He gives Luis Junior no chance.
“That’s just coming back into the game because it was all gone a little flat in the Emirates.
“The crowd needed something to bring their teeth and Norgaard gave them that. This was a delivery of Ross Declan by Martinelli.”
Arsenal lineup, Team News v Villarreal
Arsenal was initiated by Viktor Gyokeres, who joined the sport in July for a payment that could rise to £ 64 million and failed to make a significant impact over the early stages.
Another new striker, Noni Madueke, was on the bench after missing Arsenal’s tour while recovering from the Chelsea campaign at the World Cup club in June and July.
Gabriel and Jurrien Timber were injured, while defender Riccardo Calafiori was absent after missing Spurs’s 1-0 defeat in Hong Kong last Thursday with a knee injury.
Leandro Trossard was not risked after being thrown into that game.
Athletic Bilbao also visits Arsenal on Saturday (5:00 pm BST / 12:00 et / 09:00 PT) and Arteta is expecting high-level meetings with Laliga clubs.
“Villarreal are playing at the highest level and have a manager in Marcelino who likes to play a very specific type of system and formation found in the Premier League this season,” predicted the Spanish.
“Games against the Spanish opposition also need other things from us and I expect them to be really good games.
“When we repair these pre-season games, I always look at how the manager stops his teams, how to train their team, the type of players they have, how to train different phases of games against different blocks.
“We have a very good mix this previous season. The knowledge and experience we gain from all these games come in our” database “to help us during the season. Helps for the way we should evolve our game models.
“Each game will demand something from you physically and (in terms of) the spaces you have to attack or protect, and different ways (opponents) can play in their accumulation as well.
“So we want to nail that and improve this. The games against Villarreal will help, so it’s a good game for us.”
Arsenal begins some: Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Sorry, Norgaard, Merino, Nwaneri, Saka, Martinelli, Gyokeres
Arsenal substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Setford, Wood, Gabriel, Mosqua, Zinchenko, Longuna, Zubimendi, Odegaard, Madueke, Ross, Dowman, Harriman-Aan
Villarreal Team News, Lineup v Arsenal
Willy Kambwala was out for a Villarreal with a damage to the left hamstring that the French-cosmous defender suffered during their friendship against Genoa on July 31.
Cape Verde defender Logan Costa had an operation on Tuesday for a full breach of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, which suffered damage during their pre-season opener against FC Basel on July 19.
Santiago Mourino, who debuted at the right at a 1-1 draw at Leeds United on Saturday, held his place.
Thomas Party is expected to sign for Villarreal this week but the former Arsenal midfielder, who will appear in the Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday after being charged with five charges of rape and one of sexual assault, was not on board in time for a return to Emirates Stadium.
Villarreal are not strangers for the Emirates Stadium, although they have failed to score in their previous three visits.
The 41st minute of the Kolo Toure Opener at home for Arsenal showed the only goal of the Champions League semi-finals 2005/06, with Riquelme missing from a late penalty for Villarreal in the return of Estadio El Madrigal.
The teams met in London for a link of the quarterfinals that got 1-1 after the first leg in 2009, only for Arsenal to go through a 3-0 victory.
Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin Van Persie scored on that occasion, and Villarreal are without defeat in the two encounters between clubs since.
Under Former Arsenal Manager Unai Emery, Villarreal won the first leg 2-1 at home against Arteta’s team in the Europa League 2020/21 semi-finals, Manu Trigueros and Raul Albiol scored before Pepe’s late reply.
The second foot ended 0-0, and sent the yellow submarines to the final that won 11-10 over penalties against Manchester United after a 1-1 draw in Gansk.
Villarreal begins some: Junior, Mourino, Marin, Foyth, Cardona, Gueye, Moleiro, Parejo, Pepe, Eyong, Moreno
Substitutes Villarreal: Gomez, Conde, Navarro, Suarez, Danjuma, AltiMira, Comesana, Buchanan, Pedraza, Valou, Cabanes
Arsenal v Villarreal on TV? Channels, flows online
Arsenal against Villarreal started at 6:00 pm BST / 13:00 et / 10:00 PT on Wednesday. The game is not being screened on TV but can be observed through Arsenal’s website–
The game costs £ 6.99, with a group that includes the game against Athletic Bilbao starting at £ 10.99.
There are repeated shows three and six hours after all the time.
The Premier League 2025/26 season when Arsenal begins?
The first round of Premier League games On 2025/26 it will be at the end of August 16, 2025, including Arsenal’s journey to Manchester United on Sunday, August 17 at 4:30 pm.
The game against the Europa League 2024/25 is being shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League, Ultra and a major event.
The last round of this season’s matches will begin at the same time on May 24, 2026
When does Villarreal’s 2025/26 season start?
After qualifying for the Champions League by finishing last fifth season, Villarreal will start their 2025/26 campaign at home for Oviedo on August 15 (8:30 pm BST / 15:30 et / 12:30 PT).
Their visitors were promoted through the play-offs after being third in the Segunda Division.
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2025-08-06 18:17:31