Ruthless Arsenal punish wasteful Watkins to secure battling win over Villa

Arsenal scored twice in 10 minutes to beat Aston Villa 2-0 and make it two wins from as many games in the Premier League.

Substitute Leandro Trossard made Aston Villa rue their missed chances in the 68th minute when he was on hand to fire past Emi Martinez just two minutes after entering the fray.

Thomas Partey made sure of all three points 10 minutes later, receiving a Bukayo Saka pass on the edge of the penalty area before stroking home an effort into the bottom corner.

Aston Villa, and in particular Ollie Watkins, will rue his golden chances with the match at 0-0. The first was a simple opening to stroke home on 25 minutes which he put wide and the second was a header thwarted only by a spectacular piece of goalkeeping from David Raya.

Villa beat Arsenal home and away last season in a campaign that saw The Gunners narrowly miss out on the Premier League title, but on Saturday Mikel Arteta’s side ensured that no such slip up would be repeated.

Even just two matches into the 2024/25 Premier League season, this result feels significant for Arteta and Arsenal.

Last season, Aston Villa beat The Gunners home and away, accounting for 40% of Arsenal’s Premier League losses (two out of five). Those matches against Aston Villa have been looked back on as huge moments in a season in which title-hunting Arsenal finished three points off winners Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side, on the other hand, picked up four points from a possible six against Unai Emery’s Villa.

At the time of Arsenal’s first goal, Villa were on top. Watkins had spurned his second chance of the game 15 minutes before The Gunners opened the scoring and at times it felt as though Villa would once again frustrate Arsenal. Arteta’s side showed character, rode the storm that Emery’s men threw at them in the second period and found the breakthrough which then allowed them to take control of proceedings before killing off the match 10 minutes later.

A Premier League season is 38 matches long, but for Arsenal to have got their visit to Villa Park out of the way so early in the campaign, and the fact they are now returning to North London with all three points, is a huge psychological victory for Arteta’s men.

Arsenal’s goalkeeper was superb. His positioning and attentiveness to danger were brilliant, coming out on more than one occasion to snuff out danger for his side. His crowning moment was his spectacular save on 54 minutes to deny Watkins who looked certain to burst the back of the net. It was a save that was as good as a goal and proved to be a turning point for Arsenal.

Aston Villa: Emi Martinez 7, Cash N/A, Konsa 6, Torres 6, Digne 6, Bailey 6, Onana 6, Tielemans 6, McGinn 6, Rogers 7, Watkins 5 Subs: Barkley 6, Ramsey 6, Duran 6, Maatsen 6, Nedeljkovic 6

Arsenal: Raya 9, Timber 7, Gabriel 7, Saliba 8, White 7, Odegaard 7, Partey 7, Rice 7, Havertz 6, Saka 7, Martinelli 6 Subs: Trossard 7, Calafiori 6, Nelson N/A

16’ A FANTASTIC SAVE – Saka cuts in from the right-hand side before unleashing a low, fierce effort that looked certain to be heading into the bottom corner but former Gunner Emi Martinez pulls off a great save to tip it round for a corner.

25’ A REALLY POOR MISS – Aston Villa pounce on Arsenal, winning the ball off Gabriel at the back, Morgan Rogers plays a pass across the face of the goal to Ollie Watkins who just has to stroke it home but somehow puts it wide and the score remains 0-0. That is a massive chance.

54’ WHAT AN UNBELIEVABLE SAVE – That is truly stunning goalkeeping from David Raya! Onana’s effort deflects off Gabriel, it crashes off the bar and Ollie Watkins is there waiting to surely head home the rebound just a few yards out from goal but Raya is back up to save Watkins’ header. It should be Villa 1-0!

68’ GOAL! ASTON VILLA 0-1 ARSENAL (TROSSARD) – Trossard has scored already! He’s only been on the pitch a matter of minutes! Saka fires the ball across the face of goal, it takes a couple of bounces before falling to Trossard who fires home first time past Emi Martinez! A fantastic finish and Arsenal lead at Villa Park.

78’ GOAL! ASTON VILLA 0-2 ARSENAL (PARTEY) – Thomas Partey fires home a low effort from around 20 yards out and Arsenal are 2-0 up. Emi Martinez will feel he could have possibly done better there.

81’ ARSENAL SPURN A HUGE CHANCE! – That should be 3-0 and game over! Declan Rice pulls back a great ball for Martin Odegaard who gets right underneath his effort and skies it over the bar.