Arsenal vs Villarreal live: Viktor Gyokeres makes first start for Gunners in pre-season friendly | OneFootball

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Norgaard excited after 'big move' to Arsenal

Arsenal face Villarreal in a friendly at the Emirates this evening, with Mikel Arteta’s side continuing pre-season preparations ahead of their opening Premier League match against Manchester United.

The Gunners have returned from a tour of Asia that produced mixed results including a win over Newcastle and a loss against Spurs, but fans have been encouraged by a series of signings that includes striker Viktor Gyokeres, midfielder Martin Zubimendi and former Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.

So, as Arsenal return to the Emirates for two friendlies ahead of the start of 2025/26, expectations are high after improving a side that has finished second in the league in three consecutive seasons.

And with just two matches left ahead of their Premier League opener, Arteta will be putting the finishing touches to his starting eleven ahead of a potentially difficult opening day at Old Trafford on 17 August - including handing Gyokeres a maiden start in a Gunners shirt.

Shadow hanging over friendly

Today’s game has a shadow over it after reports that former Arsenal player Thomas Partey, who has been charged with five counts of rape and an additional sexual assault charge, is set to join Villareal.

He was granted conditional bail at Westminster Magistrates’ Court earlier this week. The offences were alleged to have been committed while he was an Arsenal player.

Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence held a banner outside the hearing protesting the club’s conduct, while a spokeswoman said, “We protested outside almost every home game last season because we wanted to disrupt the wall of silence that the club has put up around this issue, and we did that because we want to support our club and feel happy and comfortable supporting our club.”

The Guardian reports that “hundreds” of Villareal supporters have signed a petition against his signing, while others have protested on social media.

Partey’s lawyer has said he denies all the carges against him.

Flo Clifford6 August 2025 17:40

Underwhelming Viktor Gyokeres debut shows why Arsenal need him so much

Richard Jolly with the essential debrief on Gyokeres’ debut:

A debut defeat and an outing that was underwhelming but left the sense he was underused may matter little. When it comes to competitive games, Viktor Gyokeres’s Arsenal bow will come at Old Trafford against Manchester United on 17 August. But as he donned their No 14 shirt for the first time in a game, Arsenal at least showed the need for Gyokeres, the forward who scored 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting CP.

The first north London derby staged outside the United Kingdom yielded a 1-0 loss to Tottenham, with Arsenal registering a lone shot on target, which Kai Havertz directed at Guglielmo Vicario. Gyokeres was limited to the last 20 minutes, including stoppage time, as Arsenal were largely toothless. The argument that they needed a specialist goalscorer is scarcely new, but perhaps it was underlined when they spent an initial £55m to acquire one.

Richard Jolly6 August 2025 17:35

Inside Arsenal’s move for Viktor Gyokeres - and why he will change the title race

When Arsenal finally accelerated plans to get a striker this summer, they had one fixed line. That was not to go above £65m. Such a figure might make it sound like they weren’t that serious about a striker - and there have been some questions about the exact level of the talented Viktor Gyokeres - but then this wasn’t quite about getting the striker anymore. It was about options, and having enough to finally win the title.

This is the defining trait of Arsenal’s summer so far, which is that Mikel Arteta is determined to address the key flaws of last season.

Having claimed 89 points in 2023-24, Arsenal fell away because they didn’t have enough depth, with overuse ultimately leading to fitness issues, and not enough forward options. Their benches at the end of the season were often strikingly thin, resulting in the attack becoming overly dependent on Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. That in turn made Arsenal easier to predict, which only accentuated their problems.

So, Arteta has already brought in more bodies, which is why Cristhian Mosquera and Noni Madueke have signed. They alleviate pressure in terms of wear. Next is the pressure he wants to exert on opposition.

Miguel Delaney6 August 2025 17:15