Second-half targets by Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey earned Arsenal earn a hard-fought 2-0 win at Aston Villa on Saturday as Mikel Arteta’s aspect continued their excellent begin to the Premier League season.
Villa did the double over Arsenal final season, defeats that in the end value the Gunners the title, and had loads of possibilities to make it three successive wins at Villa Park. Striker Ollie Watkins missed two gilt-edged openings, the second of which noticed him denied by a shocking save from Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
Nonetheless, Arsenal weathered the storm, taking the lead within the 67th minute by means of substitute Trossard, earlier than Partey made certain of the three factors 10 minutes later.
Villa supporters headed for the exits, ruing their missed alternatives, as Arsenal’s travelling followers celebrated two wins from two to maintain them on observe for an additional critical title problem.Â
“I’m very comfortable,” Arteta mentioned. “Initially, a very robust place to return, nice environment, a very good staff, rather well coached with nice collective organisation and big particular person menace.
“However we discovered a approach to win, particularly as a result of the staff performed with loads of character and understood the sport higher and higher.
“In opposition to any formation, any opponent, we’re discovering a menace from many areas, and that is a giant praise for the staff.”
In addition to getting the higher of Arsenal twice final time period, accounting for 40% of the Gunners’ Premier League defeats in your entire season, Villa got here into Saturday’s match as the one aspect to beat Arteta’s staff in 2024.
On the highway, Arsenal have been particularly unrelenting this 12 months, profitable eight of their 9 Premier League away video games forward of the journey to the Midlands, scoring 28 targets, conceding three and holding seven clear sheets.
The guests once more made a blistering begin at Villa Park, dominating the opening exchanges, with Bukayo Saka denied by an outstanding early save from Villa keeper Emiliano MartÃnez.
Villa did settle into the sport and will have taken the lead within the twenty fourth minute, however England striker Watkins someway contrived to overlook the goal with the objective at his mercy.
Watkins was once more responsible of losing an excellent opening early within the second half, heading too near Raya within the Arsenal objective when reacting first to Amadou Onana’s effort coming down off the crossbar.
In pursuit of their first league title in 20 years, Arsenal had been at all times going to threaten and took their likelihood when it got here, Trossard sweeping dwelling together with his first contact after coming off the bench.
Partey’s second was much less emphatic, squirming beneath MartÃnez, however no much less essential to finish the Villa hoodoo and hold the Gunners firing. Arsenal have gained their first two video games in a top-flight marketing campaign with out conceding for the primary time since 1971-72.
“You must settle for Arsenal they’re extra skilled, extra mature,” Villa supervisor Unai Emery advised Sky Sports activities.
“They’re sturdy, the final two years they’ve been very aggressive within the Premier League, contenders in high 4 and even to win the Premier League. At present was a take a look at for us to know who we’re.”
Data from Reuters contributed to this report.
