Arsenal secures revenge against Villa in 2-0 away victory

Saturday, 24 August, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

Arsenal finally secured their long awaited revenge against Aston Villa in a clinical 2-0 win at Villa on Saturday.

Villa stunned Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium in match day 33 last season, a defeat that proved costly at Arsenal's title quest against eventual winners Manchester city. Today's match was a chance for the Gunners to make things right. 

A stop-start opening at Villa Park deprived either side of any real momentum, Bukayo Saka forcing Emi Martinez into action in the lone opportunity of the opening quarter amid a trio of injury stoppages for Villa players.

Sloppy play out the back from Arsenal gifted Ollie Watkins the first major chance of the match on 25 minutes when Morgan Rogers teed up the England striker unmarked in the box, only for him to shoot wide.

Kai Havertz did little better when arriving at the near post to meet Gabriel Martinelli’s low cross, which he poked wide shortly before half-time.

Watkins saw another chance go begging on the hour mark when Amadou Onana’s shot deflected onto the crossbar and fell for the England man to plant a diving header into the empty net, however David Raya raised himself to produce an early contender for save of the season and parry it clear.

Villa began to up the tempo over a sustained period for the first time all evening and Ezri Konsa’s near-post header narrowly evaded his teammates and the far post.

But Arsenal punished the hosts’ lack of clinical finishing when substitute Trossard netted with his first touch. Martin Odegaard’s overhit pass when just kept in by Saka, whose cross bounced off Morgan Rogers to find the Belgian unmarked, and he swept home into the bottom corner.

Saka then had a major role as the Gunners made it 2-0, rolling the ball to Partey on 77 minutes. The Ghanaian’s low effort looked to be within Emi Martinez’s reach but the keeper couldn’t keep it out and Arsenal had their second goal and all three points in the bag.