Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey’s goals in the second half gave Arsenal a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday, extending Mikel Arteta’s team’s unbeaten start to the Premier League.
Villa did the double over Arsenal last season, defeats that ultimately cost the Gunners the title, and had plenty of chances to make it three successive wins at Villa Park. Ollie Watkins, an attacker for Arsenal, wasted two excellent opportunities, the second of which saw David Raya make a spectacular save to deny him.
But Arsenal persevered, taking the lead through substitute Trossard in the 67th minute, and then Partey sealed the victory ten minutes later.
While Arsenal’s traveling supporters celebrated two wins from two to keep their team on track for another serious title challenge, Villa supporters regretted their wasted opportunities and made their way out of the stadium.
“I am overjoyed,” Arteta declared. “First of all, a really tough place to come, great atmosphere, a really good team, really well coached with great collective organisation and huge individual threat.
“But we found a way to win, especially because the team played with a lot of personality and understood the game better and better.
“Against any formation, any opponent, we are finding a threat from many areas, and that’s a big compliment for the team.”
Villa entered Saturday’s game as the only team to defeat Arteta’s squad in 2024. They also defeated Arsenal twice in the previous season, which accounted for 40% of the Gunners’ Premier League losses overall.
Arsenal has been particularly relentless on the road this season, winning eight of their nine away Premier League games before traveling to the Midlands. They have also allowed just three goals while conceding none and maintaining seven clean sheets.
The visitors again made a blistering start at Villa Park, dominating the opening exchanges, with Bukayo Saka denied by a superb early save from Villa keeper Emiliano Martínez.
Villa did settle into the game and should have taken the lead in the 24th minute, but England striker Watkins somehow contrived to miss the target with the goal at his mercy.
Watkins was again guilty of wasting a glorious opening early in the second half, heading too close to Raya in the Arsenal goal when reacting first to Amadou Onana’s effort coming down off the crossbar.
In pursuit of their first league title in 20 years, Arsenal were always going to threaten and took their chance when it came, Trossard sweeping home with his first touch after coming off the bench.
Partey’s subsequent effort was less forceful, wriggling beneath Martínez, but equally vital in breaking the Villa curse and maintaining the Gunners’ lead. For the first time since 1971–72, Arsenal has won its opening two games in a top flight season without giving up a goal.
“You have to accept Arsenal they are more experienced, more mature,” Villa manager Unai Emery told Sky Sports.
“They are formidable; over the past two years, they have been fiercely competitive in the Premier League, challenging for both the top four spots and the title. We were put to the test today to learn more about ourselves.”
Published by Ejoh Caleb
