(Football news) Aston Villa endured their third successive defeat in the Premier League after a 3-1 battering to Arsenal with Mikel Arteta winning his first match against the London based side as a manager. The Gunners are in fine form at the moment, currently unbeaten in seven games and are now in ninth position despite their disastrous start of the domestic campaign while Aston Villa languish in the 13th position after losing three times in a row for the first time since July 2020.
The match began in a feisty fashion as Ollie Watkins was booked just 22 seconds after kickoff due to an altercation which involved Gabriel Magalhaes. Bukayo Saka was deemed fit to play a role in the starting XI and had a shot wide while Aubameyang’s acrobatic scissor kick could not find the back of the net. The Gunners were unlucky to be ahead in the 20th minute mark when Gabriel’s attempt hit the post but just three minutes later, Smith Rowe's corner was converted by Partey who outfoxed John McGinn with some excellent movement. This was Partey’s first goal for Arsenal and his first since scoring for Atletico Madrid in July 2020.
Mikel Arteta excellently exploited Villa’s vulnerability with set pieces, having taken into account that the London based side had conceded three against Wolves in similar fashion. Six minutes into stoppage time after the end of the first half, Pawson was instructed to examine a challenge by Targett on Lacazette on the pitch side monitor, with a clear and obvious error being deemed and a penalty was awarded. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s spot kick was saved but the Gabonese footballer duly converted the spot kick to double Arsenal’s lead.
At the start of the second half, Villa made some tactical changes by resorting to four at the back which meant Leon Bailey replaced Axel Tuanzebe and started off brightly with some attacking intent, but just when the momentum appeared to be shifting, Arsenal scored their third of the night through Smith Rowe as Mings attempted to block the shot, leading to a deflection past Martinez and into the back of the net.
Villa scored a consolation goal through Ramsey as the 20 year old’s first time strike found the back of Arsenal’s net and despite a few nervy moments at the end of the match, it was Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal that was awarded all three points to record an important victory in a previously winless month.
