Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal: Tired Gunners suffer 3rd defeat in last 5 games

Goalkeeper Mat Ryan conceded 74 seconds into his debut for Arsenal as Aston Villa completed their first top-flight double over the Gunners for 28 years.

Match Report

Former Arsenal keeper Emiliano Martinez started the move which led to Bertrand Traore pouncing on a mistake by Cedric Soares before Ollie Watkins scored with a shot that deflected off Rob Holding.

Boyhood Gunners fan Ryan, signed on loan from Brighton in January and starting in place of suspended first-choice keeper Bernd Leno, produced a fine save to deny Traore a goal on his return to the Villa side.

Martinez frustrated his former club further when the Argentine produced an excellent save to keep out Granit Xhaka's free-kick.

Villa move up to eighth in the Premier League with Arsenal in 10th.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

1' GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal (Watkins)

28' Pepe's shot stopped

29' CLOSE! Xhaka's free kick stopped by Martinez

31' Traore's shot stopped by Ryan

34' Holding's header over the bar

43' Pepe's shot wide out

50' Watkins' long shot stopped

54' McGinn's shot stopped by Ryan

68' Pepe's shot stopped by Martinez

78' Grealish's shot stopped by Ryan

83' CHANCE! Watkins' shot inches wide

84' Odegaard's shot over the bar

Line-ups

Aston Villa XI: E. Martinez, Traore, Barkley, Grealish, McGinn, Mings, Nakamba, Targett, O. Watkins, Ngoyo, M. Cash

Subs: Heaton, El Mohamady, Engels, Sanson, Trezeguet, El Ghazi, Davis, Douglas Luiz, J. Ramsey

Arsenal XI: Lacazette, Xhaka, Ryan, Cedric, Bellerin, Partey, Pepe, Holding, Gabriel, Smith Rowe, Saka

Subs: Willian, Aubameyang, M.Elneny, Mari, Runarsson, Chambers, M. Ødegaard, Ceballos, Martinelli