Ollie Watkins’ early strike enough for Aston Villa to sink blunt Arsenal
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If nothing else, Arsenal will be happy to see the back of Aston Villa. This was their third defeat to Dean Smith’s side in a little over six months and, while it was by some way their best performance in that collection, they found no way through and left the West Midlands empty-handed for the second time this week.
A second-minute strike by Ollie Watkins, his 10th top-flight goal of the season and third against today’s opponents, was enough to answer questions about the hosts’ form and push them firmly back into the conversation about European spots. Such talk still seems a touch premature for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, whose revival has faltered a little even if there are longer-term reasons for optimism.
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The frustration for Arteta was that, while Arsenal had roared into action at Wolves on Tuesday, they began dozily here and paid an almighty price. It took 75 seconds for Watkins to put Villa ahead and the buildup will make especially painful viewing for Cédric Soares. Arsenal had largely dealt with a Villa foray down their left flank but then Soares, attempting to pass backwards towards Gabriel Magalhães, executed the idea sloppily and Bertrand Traoré nipped in. Traoré was decisive from there, rounding Gabriel and laying across goal with the outside of his left foot for Watkins to shoot first time. With help from a deflection off Rob Holding the ball trickled past Mat Ryan, who was perhaps unsighted by his defender.
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This was an occasion Ryan, a boyhood Arsenal fan, had long been hoping for but the loanee from Brighton would surely have expected to get at least a few touches before conceding on his debut. He had returned from injury in time to replace the suspended Bernd Leno, with Gabriel replacing the similarly indisposed David Luiz. Such an early opener did not prevent a watchable first half that kept both keepers alert and, occasionally, stretched.
Arsenal hogged the possession without quite forcing a clear chance from open play, although Bukayo Saka’s runs beyond Alexandre Lacazette twice came close to bearing fruit. It was from a dead ball that they tested Leno’s old deputy, Emiliano Martínez, whose form has attracted some envious glances in north London since September. When Granit Xhaka took aim with a 29th minute free-kick, it felt as if Martínez was halfway towards his top corner by the time the ball had left the midfielder’s foot. He kept it out with a stupendous one-handed save and Villa held onto their platform.
They almost strengthened it, although much of their attention had been spent thwarting the ever-involved Saka. Ezri Konsa and Marvelous Nakamba were both booked for hacking him down but Traoré was involved in a more edifying way soon after Martínez’s heroics. He had been deployed to provide a shot of energy to a side that, following Wednesday’s defeat here to West Ham, had a day’s shorter recovery time than Arsenal. A pin-sharp spin in the box was further proof of the logic behind that decision but this time Ryan, not committing too early, was able to repel his attempted scoop.
Shortly before half-time Nicolas Pépé, whose form kept Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang waiting for a return to the starting XI, slashed wide when a measure of composure would not have gone amiss. He might have been taught the error of his ways within three minutes of the restart but Ross Barkley, found 15 yards out by a clever corner routine, scuffed straight at Ryan.
Villa had come out strongly and Watkins would soon test Ryan twice more, forcing a solid parry with a low 20-yard strike and a more straightforward stop from a header. Barkley should have demanded further action but blazed wide after a brisk counter; when Arsenal sprung forward with similar fluency, Pépé shimmied into the area before curling just wide.
Ryan batted away a drive from John McGinn while Tyrone Mings denied Emile Smith Rowe after the youngster’s weaving solo run. It was an intoxicatingly open game now and Arteta sought to capitalise by giving Aubameyang the final half-hour. Martínez bravely stopped him reaching a drilled Pépé centre almost immediately, taking a whack for his trouble, and when Martin Ødegaard replaced Soares it set the stage for waves of late pressure.
Ødegaard missed the best chance all those sorties wrought, blazing over from 15 yards after running onto Saka’s cutback six minutes from time. Villa could have made the game safe on the break by then, through Grealish or Watkins, but stood firm to maintain their hold on Arteta’s men.