17/08/2013 - Aston Villa - Barclays Premier League - First Team - H

YELLOW CARD

FULL TIME: Arsenal 1-3 Aston Villa - Benteke's brace and a goal from Antonio Luna seal a disappointing defeat for the Gunners

YELLOW CARD: Agbonlahor goes into the book

ARSENAL CHANGE: Podolski on for Sagna

SAGNA DOWN: The French defender goes into an aerial challenge with Benteke and hits the floor and is in some pain. He is receiving treatment at the moment

MINUTES TO GO: This just hasn't been Arsenal's day and it is hard not to think that second penalty to Villa was pivotal. It changed the direction of the game. The debate will rage on well after the full-time whistle

VILLA CHANGE: Bacuna on for Weimann

BENTEKE FIRES WIDE: The Belgian striker is played onside and races into the box but his shot drifts wide of the far post

CAZORLA BOOKED: The Spanish midfielder goes into the book for a late challenge on Delph

OFF THE BAR: What a chance for Arsenal as Rosicky heads it down for Cazorla in the box and his shot is palmed onto the woodwork by Guzan

TIME IS RUNNING OUT: The 10 men are frustrated, and understandably so, but Villa are holding firm at present. Let's hope the Gunners can find a way back into this one

WHAT A CHANCE: Rosicky weaves his way through the defence superbly and with just Guzan to beat, his shot is stopped by the Villa keeper

WALCOTT FIRES WIDE: Rosicky is taken down 20 yards out by Vlaar, and Walcott steps up to take the free kick but curls it high and wide

RED CARD: Kosicelny is sent off for a second bookable offence for late tackle

YELLOW CARD: Westwood is booked for a late challenge on Aaron Ramsey

HUGE CALL FROM THE REFEREE: The linesman kept his flag down as Koscielny slid in on Agbonlahor but the referee awarded and the home crowd are utterly incensed

KOSCIELNY BOOKED: The French defender goes into the book

PENALTY VILLA: Koscielny races to catch Agbonlahor in the box and nicks the ball off his foot but the referee awards the penalty. Controversy

BENTEKE BOOKED: The Villa striker takes down Ramsey and goes into the book

GIROUD HEADS WIDE: The French striker leaps to meet Rosicky's cross from the right but can't direct his header on target

OFF THE POST: Delph combines with benteke and charges forward before crashing a shot off the post and along the goal-line. So close for the visitors but Arsenal breathe again

GETTING CLOSER: Giroud and Rosicky combine beautifully to release the latter through on goal, but he curls a firm shot over the bar from 10 yards out

LOVELY MOVE: Wilsgere plays a good ball to walcott, who picks out Giroud in the box and the striker takes a touch but scuffs his shot from close range

PUSHING ON: Arsenal have started positively in the second half and once again the crowd are responding and getting right behind the team

ARSENAL CHANGE: Cazorla has come on for Oxlade-Chamberlain

WE ARE BACK UNDERWAY: Arsenal get us going, come on boys!

HALF TIME: Arsenal 1-1 Aston Villa - Giroud gave Arsenal are deserved early lead after an energetic opening but Villa have fought back well and equalised through Benteke after his initial penalty was saved by Szczesny

YELLOW CARD: Luna is booked for a challenge on Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right touchline

ARSENAL PRESSING: Wenger's side are desperately searching for the second goal before half time but Villa are holding firm

LEVEL PEGGING: After such a bright start, and early goal, by Arsenal, Villa have worked overtime to get back into the game and as we approach half time it is now a pretty even affair

GET IN TOUCH: It's www.arsenal.com/studio to e-mail our team - Dan and Stephen are fielding your comments throughout the game

#AFCvAVFC: That's the hashtag to use if you want to have your say on Twitter. As ever we'll publish a selection of your comments right here - as well as on the big screen!

MIX UP AT THE BACK: Szczesny come racing out of his goal to try to clear a through ball but he slices it and it comes to Benteke, who is bundled off the ball before the ball comes back to Westwood tries one from distance and the Pole races back to push the shot away

HALF A CHANCE: There's a mix-up in the Villa backline and Walcott chases the ball down and takes it away from Guzan, but his attempted cut back to Giroud is intercepted and cleared

IT'S HEATING UP: The challenges are flying in thick and fast now and referee Anthony Taylor has a job on to keep tempers in check

WILSHERE BOOKED: The young midfielder also goes into the book for his reaction to the tackle by Vlaar

YELLOW CARD: Jack Wilshere is taken down by Ron Vlaar and the defender is shown the yellow card

ARSENAL CHANGE: Carl Jenkinson on for Kieran Gibbs

HERE COMES THE JENK: This looks like it could the end of Gibbs' day with Carl Jenkinson now stripped off and ready to enter the fray

GIBBS IS DOWN: The left back goes up for a header with Weimann and the pair clash heads, with blood pouring from the Arsenal defender's head. He is having treatment now...

YELLOW CARD: Szczesny has his name taken for the offence

PENALTY VILLA: Agbonlahor races through and is taken down by Szczesny in the area. Penalty to the visitors

GLANCED WIDE: Ramsey combines well with Wilshere, who stands up a good cross from the left byeline that skims off Giroud's head and drifts wide

WELL PLAYED THE OX: We are just seeing replays of the opening goal and he did superbly to keep his cool and play a delightful ball into Giroud with the outside of his foot

VILLA CHANGE: Nathan Baker is replaced by Ciaran Clark for the visitors

RAMBO AND JACK: The young midfield pair are combining well, alternating to allow one to burst forward while the other sits deep. It is working well so far in these early stages of the season, which is encouraging for the boss

GET IN TOUCH: It's www.arsenal.com/studio to e-mail our team - Dan and Stephen are fielding your comments throughout the game

#AFCvAVFC: That's the hashtag to use if you want to have your say on Twitter. As ever we'll publish a selection of your comments right here - as well as on the big screen!

WALCOTT HOBBLING: Theo has taken a knock on his ankle and received some treatment at the side of the pitch, but he will be okay to continue

BANG IN FORM: Giroud has been magnificent in pre-season and he has started the new campaign in flying form with a confident finish there. Arsenal are well on top at the moment

OUT OF THE BLOCKS: Arsenal have started on the front foot with Wilshere and Giroud lively in the opening exchanges

WE'RE OFF: Villa get us going for 2013/14 - come on Arsenal!

CAPTAIN PER: The German defender skippers the team in the absence of Thomas Vermaelen and Mikel Arteta and gets a huge cheer from the crowd here at the Emirates

NEW MUSIC: The new season is upon us, and we have a new Premier League team tune for the players to step out on to the pitch for. Learning something from the Champions League there...

CONSISTENCY: It is a buzz word in football, and Arsenal had it in spades at the end of last season. So much so, that this is the same team that ended the final match of last term at Newcastle... promising signs

THE FINAL TOUCHES: The groundsmen are almost finished watering the pitch and we are moments away from seeing the Arsenal team. The crowd are in fine voice already

IT'S FILLING UP: The crowd are streaming into the Emirates and the stands are abuzz with anticipation ahead of this game. Let's hope the boys can get off to a strong start this afternoon

GIVE US YOUR THOUGHTS: Let us know using the hashtag #AFCvAVFC and we will publish a selection of your comments right here!

TEAM NEWS: Tomas Rosicky comes into the team, while Bacary Sagna and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also start. Santi Cazorla is on the bench, along with Lukas Podolski

SUBS: Steer, Okore, Clark, Bacuna, Helenius, Bowery, Tonev

VILLA TEAM: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Luna, El Ahmadi, Westwood, Delph, Agbonlahor, Benteke, Weimann

SUBS: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Frimpong, Cazorla, Gnabry, Podolski, Sanogo

ARSENAL TEAM: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker (c), Gibbs, Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Giroud

E-MAIL OUR COMMENTATORS: Go to www.arsenal.com/studio to get in touch with Dan and Stephen - they'll be fielding your comments throughout the game

HAVE YOUR SAY: Remember if you want to have your say before, during or after the match, use the hashtag #AFCvAVFC and we will use a selection of your comments right here - and on the big screen!

Our matchday show starts at 2.30pm (UK time) with Dan Roebuck joined by former Gunner Stephen Hughes for all the build up to the big game. Then, at 3pm, the pair will bring you live commentary of our opening match of the 2013/14 campaign

Wenger's side will be looking for a more comfortable afternoon today but only Chelsea have a better record than Villa at the Emirates

Paul Lambert's Villa side proved tough opponents in the corresponding fixture last term, and it was left to Santi Cazorla to strike a vital late winner in a 2-1 victory for Wenger's side

The boss reckons as many as six teams could compete for the Premier League title this season, so it is imperative that the Gunners get off to a good start today

Arsene Wenger will be looking for his side to continue the fine form which saw them go 11 matches unbeaten in all competitions at the end of last season to snatch a top-four spot

It has been a summer of stability at the Emirates, with a number of departures and Yaya Sanogo the sole addition so far

Hello and welcome to one of the great days in the football calendar, the opening day of the season as Arsenal take on Aston Villa