Arsenal will look to bounce back after a defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Thursday's first north London derby in Hong Kong as they take on a Villarreal side who haven't won any of their six preseason matches so far at the Emirates.
With the start of the Premier League just a fortnight away, Arsenal will be hoping to hone their tactics and hasten the integration of big summer signing Viktor Gyökeres into a unit that will be hoping to challenge for top honours this season.
After having been given an extended break after his exertions in the Club World Cup with former club Chelsea, Noni Madueke hadn't travelled to Asia, but he is set to feature in the squad for the game against Villarreal. The Emirates will also be eager to watch the exciting talent of 15-year-old Max Dowman in person, after he grabbed the attention with his cameos on tour.
Having won their first three friendlies against Watford, Newcastle and AC Milan before the derby loss, Mikel Arteta and Co. will be looking to put in a strong performance in front of their home crowd.
Villarreal have lost to Sporting CP and Genoa while drawing with Basel, Real Oviedo, St. Gallen, and most recently Leeds United at Elland Road. Head coach Marcelino will be hoping they can put in a more inspired performance against their toughest opponents yet. Former Arsenal players Nicolas Pépé and Denis Suárez are both in the squad and will be keen to impress.
On the injury front, Arsenal may be without Leandro Trossard, Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel, and Jurriën Timber who are at various stages of recovery from injuries.
Here is everything you need to know about Thursday's match.
How to watch:
The match will be available on Arsenal's in-house website/app (Arsenal TV). You can also follow ESPN's live updates.
Key Details:
Date: Wednesday, August 6 at 6 p.m. BST (1 p.m. ET; 10.30 p.m. IST and 3 a.m. AEST)
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
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