Monday night football heads to Villa Park this week as last season’s Europa Cup winners, Aston Villa, welcome the champions, Arsenal. It’s two clubs who have had contrasting summers, with Villa underdoing a massive rebuild under Unai Emery and Arsenal having the luxury of hand-picking one or two targets to bolster an already impressive squad. One thing is for sure, though: this won’t be an easy game for the Gunners, but the markets clearly suggest otherwise. Let’s jump in.
TL; DR – My 6/1 Bet Builder for Aston Villa vs Arsenal
| Bet | Odds at Betfred | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal to win | 8/15 | 5 |
| Matty Cash 2+ fouls | 6/4 | 2 |
| Kai Havertz to score | 13/10 | 1 |
| Bet Builder | 6/1 | 1 |
*Odds correct at 15:00 BST on 28/08/2026. Odds subject to change.
No Expiry Date
Bet 1: Arsenal to win
If you’d told me six months ago that Aston Villa would be 5/1 to win at home against any side, I’d have sold the kids, remortgaged the house and lumped on. However, looking at those exact odds this morning, I couldn’t run away quick enough.
I’m worried about Villa this season. They’ve lost so many players, and it looks like the deal for Ollie Watkins is all but done, adding another to that list. They were pitiful in that first half against Brentford last week, and while they won’t need to worry about relegation or anything close to that extreme, I would be shocked to see them finish top six with everything going on. They can thank Richard Masters and PSR for that.
Arsenal, on the other hand, look incredibly strong. They are going to steamroll a lot of teams this season, and even at 8/15 with the best betting sites, I think there’s value there to get us started. It couldn’t be a better time to play Villa, and Arteta’s side will be licking their lips at the wounded Villains.
If you like this type of content, subscribe…
Bet 2: Matty Cash 2+ Fouls
Like a broken record, I’m back again on the hunt for Matty Cash fouls. This was one of my go-to bets last season, and it seldom let me down, as he committed 42 league fouls with a rate of 1.25 fouls commited per 90.
I love it even more this week as he goes up against an exciting talent in Christos Tzolis. Being honest, I didn’t know much about him before he was snapped up during the summer, but he was mighty impressive against Coventry, with four shots and eight touches in the opposition box.
He clearly likes to run at his opponent, and it could be a long night for Cash, who will be tasked with limiting the Greek. Two or more fouls at 6/4 for Cash at 6/4 is a done deal.
Bet 3: Kai Havertz to Score
Kai Havertz has got off to a flying start this season. A goal in the Community Shield against Manchester City and another last week against Coventry show just how much he’s flourishing under Arteta’s decision to be more attack-minded this season.
Strikers can be streaky so-and-so’s and when they are hot, it’s important to not look too much into the how’s and why’s and more just taking advantage as a punter.
We’re getting 13/10 for Havertz to score against Villa on Monday, and I think that’s a third strong bet to get on board.
