Arsenal secured a gritty 2-0 victory against Aston Villa on Saturday, with goals from Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey proving decisive in a match where the Gunners were often on the back foot.
Despite dominating possession, Arsenal’s comfort was frequently tested by Villa’s threatening attacks.
Ollie Watkins, in particular, squandered two golden opportunities. He first misfired a close-range shot and later saw his effort brilliantly saved by David Raya, whose heroics between the posts kept Arsenal in the game.
The introduction of Trossard proved pivotal, as the Belgian forward scored with his very first touch of the match, tilting the balance in Arsenal’s favor.
Partey’s late strike, which slipped past Emiliano Martinez, sealed the crucial three points for the Gunners.
The game began with a brisk pace, though it was briefly interrupted by injuries that could have disrupted the rhythm.
Yhe first real opportunity fell to Bukayo Saka after 15 minutes, who cut inside and unleashed a powerful shot. Martinez was equal to it, diving low to keep the score level.
Villa should have taken the lead ten minutes later when Leon Bailey capitalized on Gabriel’s error, setting up Watkins for what seemed a certain goal. However, the Villa striker uncharacteristically dragged his shot wide, missing what appeared to be an easy chance.
As Arsenal searched for an opener, Thomas Partey tried his luck from distance but saw his shot soar over the bar.
Kai Havertz then engineered a promising situation with a dangerous cross, only for Bailey to recover and clear the danger. On the other end, David Raya was called into action again, comfortably dealing with a low cross from Morgan Rogers and later, a delicate chip attempt from Bailey.
The first half ended with Villa in the ascendancy, despite Arsenal’s dominance in possession, with the best chance falling to Watkins. Villa’s ability to unsettle Arsenal suggested the second half would be just as competitive.
Villa nearly took the lead nine minutes after the break. Amadou Onana’s deflected strike struck the crossbar, leaving Raya stranded.
But in an extraordinary sequence, the Arsenal goalkeeper somehow recovered to make a stunning close-range save from Watkins, keeping the scoreline intact.
The deadlock was broken in the 67th minute by Trossard, who found space in the box as Saka’s cut-back deflected into his path. The Belgian made no mistake, firing a first-time shot that gave Arsenal a crucial lead.
Arsenal extended their advantage ten minutes later through Partey, whose speculative effort from distance caught Martinez off guard.
The Villa goalkeeper was unable to handle the strike, allowing the ball to slip into the net, much to the dismay of the Villa supporters.
Moments after, Martin Odegaard came close to adding a third, but his shot blazed over the bar.
Villa pushed for a way back into the match, but William Saliba’s outstanding last-ditch tackle on Jacob Ramsey ensured that the visitors would leave empty-handed.
This hard-fought win demonstrated Arsenal’s resilience, keeping them firmly in contention as the Premier League race heats up.
