Arsenal 2-3 Villarreal Highlights, Club Friendly: Max Dowman Impresses As Gunners Lose On Emirates Return

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Arsenal’s penultimate pre-season friendly as the Gunners welcome Villarreal to the Emirates Stadium. We will have the team news and updates from the game, right here.

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

The match will be available on Arsenal's in-house website/app (Arsenal TV). However, you can follow the live updates on our match blog.

Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Merino, Nwaneri, Saka, Martinelli, Gyokeres

Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Setford, Timber, Gabriel, Mosquera, Zinchenko, Lokonga, Zubimendi, Odegaard, Madueke, Rice, Dowman, Harriman-Annous

Villareal XI: Junior; Marin, Foyth, Mourino, Cardona; Eyong, Parejo, Gueye; Pepe, Moreno, Moleiro

Substitutes: Navarro, Suarez, Danjuma, Altimira, Conde, Comesana, Buchanan, Pedraza, Valou, Gomez, Cabanes

Gunners fans will see some familiar faces on the opposition side as the likes Nicholas Pepe and Denis Suarez return to the Emirates for the first time in foreign colours. Pepe played 80 times and scored 16 goals whereas Suarez only appeared in four matches for the Gunners.

Arsenal and Villarreal players are out in the middle as we near kick-off in London's Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal 0-0 Villarreal

Gunners start off with a high tempo as they look to attack from the word 'go'.

Arsenal 0-0 Villarreal 1'

Both teams going for it, and it seems the Gunners are applying more pressure on the La Liga side. Nwaneri plays a nice through pass, but when it goes wide to Martinelli the latter then plays it to Saka but it is intercepted.

Arsenal 0-0 Villarreal 4'

Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino combine nicely on the left, with the latter putting in a cross, and Saka tries to guide it in but the angle is slightly awkward and it’s over the bar.

Arsenal 0-0 Villarreal 6'

The English frontman is left unmarked and has acres of space to sprint through, but while Gyokeres is there, but no one is there quite quick enough to run onto his cross. A yellow shirt makes the vital clearance.

Arsenal 0-0 Villarreal 11'

No Odegaard and Rice and Zubimendi but the Gunners are dominating that midfield against the Yellow Submarine.

Arsenal 0-0 Villarreal 14'

Well, well! Look who's scored on his Arsenal return. Nicholas Pepe, former Gunner, scores and does not celebrate as Villarreal have an early lead. Pepe has a pop at the Arsenal goal from way out but it rebounds and falls to another player as a floated cross is not cleared and Pepe puts the ball into the net.

Arsenal 0-1 Villarreal 16'

Ethan Nwaneri is fouled after a great run on the right flank and wins a free-kick for his team. His cross is neatly whipped in but it falls straight to the Villarreal goalie.

Arsenal 0-1 Villarreal 22'

The visitors are in full-confidence since their goal. Pepe is at the heart of Villarreal attack as he puts in a low cross from the right but there's no end product from the left as Arsenal thwart away the attack.

Arsenal 0-1 Villarreal 24'

White and Saka combine nicely down the right with a sweet one-two, but Merino doesn’t do anything with White’s cross.

Soon, Lewis-Skelly drives into the box but Villarreal cut out the danger.

Arsenal 0-1 Villarreal 29'

Karl Etta Eyong has doubled the lead for the visitors at the Emirates. Another poor defending at the back for Arsenal as a neat play from Villarreal. Cardona is left unmarked charging down the right and plays a weighted pass to Moreno, who slams it goalwards. Raya saves it but is unable to push it long as Eyong taps in the rebound.

Arsenal 0-2 Villarreal 33'

Corner for the Gunners and Gabriel Martinelli whips in a cross as Norgaard is unmarked and the Dane's header is straight into the Villarreal goal. Emirates crowd erupts as they are handed a lifeline.

Arsenal 1-2 Villarreal 36'

Every time Gyokeres has the ball at his feet, the Emirates crowd stand up but the Swede's shot is straight at the keeper. Saka and White are teaming up nicely on the right flank.

Arsenal 1-2 Villarreal 42'

The Swede has just 10 touches so far in the game and the last one came in the 42nd minute. Elsewhere, Martinelli goes down in the box as the crowd appeal for a penalty but the ref is unmoved. And it's half-time in the game.

Arsenal 1-2 Villarreal HT'

Second-half underway at the Emirates as Arsenal look to equalise against Villarreal at the Emirates Stadium. Gunners make two changes from the first-half - Zubimendi replaces Norgaard, and he too makes his Emirates debut. White is off for Mosquera

Villarreal make two changes as Comesana and Buchanan are on for Parejo and Moreno. Elsewhere, Mourino goes down for Villareal as Arsenal prepare to take a throw-in. Nwaneri attacks from the right and ducks past Moleiro, but a yellow shirt clears his ball into the box.

Arsenal 1-2 Villarreal 49'

Gueye gets booked and the first of the day for nicking the back of Martinelli’s boot.

Arsenal 1-2 Villarreal 55'

A foul brings in a Arsenal free-kick as we see from the sidelines as we see the hosts about to bring six changes. Nwaneri's free-kick is straight at the goalie and the danger is cleared.

Arsenal 1-2 Villarreal 59'

Gyokeres, Nwaneri, Saka, Kiwior, and Saliba get off the pitch. Gabriel, 15-year-old Dowman is on, just his second Emirates appearance. Rice, Odegaard and Timber complete the swaps.

Arsenal 1-2 Villarreal 65'

Arsenal and their defence have been abysmal throughout this pre-season. All games they have leaked goals and this might worry Mikel Arteta and the management. A through ball for Danjuma and the former Toffee makes no mistake to silence the Gunners faithful.

Arsenal 1-3 Villarreal 68'

Max Dowman has been a positive sign for the Gunners in this pre-season and the 15-year-old wins a penalty for the hosts. A relentless pressure on the right flank from Hale Ender sees Villarreal defender commit a mistake. Odegaard steps up and brings back the Gunners in the game.

Arsenal 2-3 Villarreal 76'

Zinchenko comes on for Lewis-Skelly, Madueke for Martinelli.

Former Gunners loanee Suarez and Cabanes De La Torre are on, for Pepe and Gueye.

Arsenal 2-3 Villarreal 78'

It's Max Dowman who's impressing everytime he has the ball. This time, he receives the ball on the right flank and the youngster drives with in the box, but the his cross is cleared.

Arsenal 2-3 Villarreal 84'

The game has not been a dull affair but one positive that Mikel Arteta will take is the performance of Max Dowman. The 15-year-old has impressed all the time he has won the ball. Another name would be of Norgaard.

Arsenal 2-3 Villarreal 86'

Three mins added on as stoppages.

Arsenal 2-3 Villarreal 90+1'

A Noni Madueke cross earns Gunners a corner in the dying minutes but Declan Rice's delivery is not pinpoint and allows Villarreal to break but the ref sees it as full-time and Arsenal lose yet again in pre-season.

Arsenal 2-3 Villarreal FT'

Penalties it is and the Gunners lose that too, as Noni Madueke misses from the spot to hand the victory for the Yellow Submarine.