Aston Villa's season opener could scarcely have gone worse — a 4-0 demolition at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium has left manager Unai Emery facing his most daunting challenge yet, with champions Arsenal arriving at Villa Park next Monday.

A squad stripped to the bone

The summer transfer window has gutted the squad that lifted the UEFA Europa League trophy in May. Four members of the starting eleven from that final have already departed — Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne, Morgan Rogers, and Ezri Konsa — and the losses keep coming.

Ollie Watkins is edging toward an exit amid interest from Al Hilal. Emiliano Martinez, a trusted presence between the posts, is also pursuing a move after a proposed transfer to Juventus broke down. Villa's squad retention rate sits at just 65.6 percent — the lowest in the Premier League.

Emery's response when asked why Watkins was absent at Brighton was telling: