Arsenal 0 – 2 Aston Villa – Match Report

Late targets from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins noticed our 11-league recreation unbeaten run finish by the hands of Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium.

A superb first-half efficiency noticed us create quite a few alternatives however couldn’t put one away, and that stored the Champions League-chasing Villans within the recreation, who struck the woodwork twice earlier than hitting us with sucker punches two minutes aside.

Bailey netted with six minutes to go handy Unai Emery’s facet the benefit, and shortly after Watkins broke via on the counter to wrap up the win and deal us a setback in our title aspirations.

Every part however the objective

As if we didn’t want any extra motivation, Liverpool’s loss earlier within the day meant the chance was ours to drag away from one among our title rivals, and we regarded decided within the recreation’s opening quarter.

Emiliano Martinez was examined early on when Leandro Trossard slid in Kai Havertz however the German shot straight at our former keeper, and on 17 minutes Gabriel Jesus had a golden probability to place us in entrance when he was picked out by Bukayo Saka on the far submit however might solely discover the side-netting.

That was rippled once more quickly after when a pinpoint Martin Odegaard move discovered Saka who miscued his trademark blast into the close to submit, as we couldn’t fairly discover a solution to make our good begin depend.

There was no query we have been in whole management of proceedings through the opening 45, the lead was nonetheless there to be seized and taking part in in opposition to a staff fourth within the desk, the margins have been so tight.

Subsequently, when a mix-up between Gabriel and Oleksandr Zinchenko allowed Watkins a route via on objective, all Gooners breathed a sigh of reduction when the red-hot marksman struck the bottom of the submit and the ball flashed throughout the goalmouth to security.

Seconds later we have been again on the different finish placing Villa underneath stress once more, and may have damaged the impasse with the perfect probability of the half. An Odegaard shot cannoned into Jesus’ path, who unselfishly squared for Trossard however Martinez managed to save lots of together with his ft from point-blank vary.

With 4 minutes of the half remaining Saka bent an effort simply vast of the upright as we went into the altering rooms on the break scratching our heads as to how we weren’t in entrance, having had 14 photographs however no targets.

Villa strike twice

The breather did Villa some good as they began the second half significantly better, and the relentless waves of assaults on their objective ended as possibilities dried up in a cagier affair. Then on the hour mark, it was the guests who once more got here inside a whisker of breaking the impasse once they once more struck our goalframe.

After a nook was partially cleared, Zinchenko was dispossessed on the sting of our field by Youri Tielemans who whipped an effort in the direction of the highest nook. After crashing off the underside of the bar, it then flicked the submit as properly earlier than we scrambled it away.

Needing a spark, Mikel Arteta despatched on Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli nevertheless it was a Villa substitute who would make the most important impression with six minutes to go. A centre by Lucas Digne tried to search out Pau Torres on the entrance submit however he missed it, and our defence switched off as Bailey was allowed to squeeze the ball residence on the again stick.

After which simply two minutes later, Watkins sealed the win together with his tenth objective in his final 11 league appearances.

After we gained a nook, Villa countered and a protracted ball noticed the England striker begin his run inside his personal half and cost ahead, and he held off Smith Rowe earlier than dinking the ball over David Raya to seal solely a 3rd Premier League double at our expense, and extra importantly see us lose floor on leaders Manchester Metropolis.

Information and stats

We have now solely misplaced extra league video games underneath Mikel Arteta in opposition to Manchester Metropolis (7) than the Villans (5).

Aston Villa are unbeaten of their final 10 Premier League video games in London (W7 D3), together with on all six journeys to this point this season (W5 D1) – amongst non-London sides, solely Manchester United (3 occasions) have ever had an extended unbeaten run away from residence within the capital within the competitors.

We suffered a Premier League defeat for the primary time since New Yr’s Eve in opposition to Fulham, while we have now now failed to attain in two of our final 4 league video games, having solely gone goalless in three of their first 28 video games this season.

Villa gained an away Premier League recreation in opposition to a staff beginning the day within the high two positions for the primary time since December 2009 in opposition to Manchester United (1-0), shedding 14 such video games in a row previous to at present.

Unai Emery has misplaced simply one among his seven video games as a supervisor throughout all competitions in opposition to us (W3 D3), while he’s nonetheless unbeaten as an away coach on the Emirates Stadium throughout video games with PSG (D1), Villarreal (D1) and Villa (W1).  

There have been 21 photographs within the first half of this recreation (14 by Arsenal, 7 by Aston Villa) with solely Man Metropolis v Brentford in February (22) seeing extra first half makes an attempt with no objective being produced in a Premier League match this season. In the meantime, Aston Villa scored with their solely two photographs on course within the recreation.

Leon Bailey has been instantly concerned in seven targets in its place within the Premier League this season (three targets, 4 assists), greater than every other participant.

Ollie Watkins has scored 19 targets within the Premier League this season, the joint-most ever in a single marketing campaign for Aston Villa together with Christian Benteke in 2012/13. Solely Erling Haaland (20) has scored extra targets within the competitors this time period.

Up subsequent

We fly to Munich on Tuesday forward of the second leg of our Champions League conflict in opposition to Bayern the day after, after which we’re again in league motion on Saturday, April 20 after we journey to Wolves earlier than Chelsea then come to Emirates Stadium three days later.