Aston Villa produced an outstanding performance to stun Arsenal at Emirates Stadium and leave Manchester City in pole position in the Premier League title race.
The game started with high anticipation for the Gunners after Liverpool’s shock home defeat by Crystal Palace, but Arsenal were desperately disappointing and well beaten as Villa boss Unai Emery made a winning return to his former club.
Arsenal were fortunate to remain on level terms for so long against the impressive visitors, who secured a deserved win to move three points ahead of Tottenham in fourth having played a game more.
The only surprise was that it took Villa until six minutes from the end of normal time to open the scoring – Ollie Watkins and Youri Tielemans hit the woodwork in each half before Leon Bailey finally broke the deadlock with a low finish at the far post.
Arsenal were kept out in the first half when Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made a stunning save from Leandro Trossard, but the visitors wrapped up the win when Watkins raced clear in the 87th minute to loft a composed finish over David Raya.
It completed a perfect weekend for reigning champions City, with Pep Guardiola’s side now two points clear of Arsenal who are ahead of third-placed Liverpool on goal difference.
Gunners fluff their lines
Arsenal were presented with the perfect opportunity to strengthen their title chances after fellow contenders Liverpool lost 1-0 to Palace at Anfield in Sunday’s earlier kick-off.
Instead, with a heavy weight of expectation, Arsenal produced one of their worst performances of the season and can have no complaints about the outcome.
The crucial moment of a tight, tense first half came when former Arsenal keeper Martinez somehow kept out Trossard’s close-range shot just before the break when it seemed certain the Belgian would score.
After that Villa took charge.
The Arsenal side who won so convincingly in their previous league game at Brighton were never in evidence, with only captain Martin Odegaard providing the prompting, although he, like his colleagues, looked desperately jaded after the break.
Arsenal always looked vulnerable to Villa’s pace on the counter and as the game entered its closing stages there was only going to be one winner – with Emery’s side pressing forward and the Gunners hanging on.
This will be a day of bitter disappointment for Arsenal but, like Liverpool, they need to recover swiftly because they simply cannot afford any more mistakes with defending champions City now sitting ominously at the top.
Top class Villa get their reward
Villa deserved every moment of the celebrations they shared with the travelling fans at the conclusion of this outstanding win.
Emery’s side carved out a huge result in the context of the chase for the top four, and no-one can begrudge them their triumph.
Indeed, the victory margin should have been even wider.
The visitors troubled Arsenal’s back four throughout with Watkins rolling a finish against the post in the first half, before Tielemans’ fine curling effort somehow stayed out in the second half – remarkably hitting the bar then the post.
Former Arsenal manager Emery set his side up perfectly and was a whirlwind of activity in his technical area as he directed operations.
It was all beautifully orchestrated. This entire performance was an illustration of Emery’s expertise in galvanising Villa.
It may have taken a stunning save from Martinez to keep them level in the first half but no-one should suggest this was any sort of ‘smash and grab’.
This was a hard-earned victory and totally worthy of how Villa played.
Player of the match
WatkinsOllie Watkins
Arsenal
Squad number8Player nameØdegaard
Squad number41Player nameRice
Squad number2Player nameSaliba
Squad number7Player nameSaka
Squad number29Player nameHavertz
Squad number6Player nameGabriel Magalhães
Squad number4Player nameWhite
Squad number19Player nameTrossard
Squad number22Player nameRaya
Squad number9Player nameGabriel Jesus
Squad number10Player nameSmith Rowe
Squad number11Player nameGabriel Martinelli
Squad number18Player nameTomiyasu
Squad number35Player nameZinchenko
Squad number20Player nameJorginho
Squad number14Player nameNketiah
Line-ups
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
22Raya4WhiteBooked at 36minsSubstituted forTomiyasuat 67′minutes2Saliba6GabrielBooked at 45mins35ZinchenkoSubstituted forNketiahat 87′minutes8ØdegaardSubstituted forSmith Roweat 79′minutes41Rice29HavertzBooked at 63mins7Saka9Gabriel JesusSubstituted forJorginhoat 79′minutes19TrossardSubstituted forMartinelliat 67′minutes
Substitutes
1Ramsdale5Partey10Smith Rowe11Martinelli14Nketiah15Kiwior18Tomiyasu20Jorginho21Fábio Vieira
Aston Villa
Formation 4-2-3-1
1E Martínez4Konsa3Diego Carlos14P Torres12Digne7McGinn8Tielemans19DiabySubstituted forBaileyat 61′minutes27RogersBooked at 14mins22ZanioloSubstituted forMorenoat 80′minutes11Watkins
Substitutes
2Cash15Moreno16Chambers17Lenglet24Durán25Olsen29Kesler-Hayden31Bailey47Iroegbunam
Referee:David Coote
Attendance:60,350
Live Text
Match ends, Arsenal 0, Aston Villa 2.
Second Half ends, Arsenal 0, Aston Villa 2.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Lucas Digne (Aston Villa).
Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Declan Rice (Arsenal) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Gabriel Martinelli.
Offside, Aston Villa. Leon Bailey is caught offside.
Foul by Declan Rice (Arsenal).
Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Arsenal. Eddie Nketiah replaces Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Goal! Arsenal 0, Aston Villa 2. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Youri Tielemans following a fast break.
Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Lucas Digne.
Goal! Arsenal 0, Aston Villa 1. Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lucas Digne with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Bukayo Saka.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution, Aston Villa. Álex Moreno replaces Nicolò Zaniolo because of an injury.
Substitution, Arsenal. Jorginho replaces Gabriel Jesus.