Last season, Villa defeated Arsenal twice, which ultimately cost the Gunners the championship. Villa had numerous opportunities to win three straight games at Villa Park, but Ollie Watkins, the striker, missed two crucial opportunity.
Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey’s goals in the second half gave Arsenal a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday, extending Mikel Arteta’s team’s unbeaten start to the Premier League.
Last season, Villa defeated Arsenal twice, which ultimately cost the Gunners the championship. Villa had numerous opportunities to win three straight games at Villa Park, but Ollie Watkins, the striker, missed two crucial opportunity.
But Arsenal persevered, gaining the lead through replacement Trossard in the 67th minute, and then Partey sealed the victory ten minutes later.
While the travelling supporters of Arsenal celebrated two victories from two to keep their team on pace for another strong title campaign, Villa supporters made their way out, lamenting their wasted chances.
Villa entered Saturday’s game as the only team to defeat Arteta’s squad in 2024. They also defeated Arsenal twice in the previous season, which accounted for 40% of the Gunners’ Premier League losses overall.
Arsenal has been particularly relentless on the road this season, winning eight of their nine away Premier League games before traveling to the Midlands. They have also allowed just three goals while surrendering none and maintaining seven clean sheets.
At Villa Park, the visitors got off to another fast start. Emiliano Martinez, the Villa goalkeeper, made a fantastic early stop to deny Bukayo Saka.
The English striker Watkins somehow managed to miss the goal with the goal at his mercy as Villa did eventually settle into the game and should have taken the lead in the twenty-fourth minute.
Once more, Watkins wasted a fantastic opportunity early in the second half by heading too near to David Raya in the Arsenal goal as he was the quickest to react when Amadou Onana’s shot struck the crossbar.
Arsenal, who are trying to win their first league title in twenty years, was always going to be a threat and they seized the opportunity when it presented itself, with Trossard scoring with his first touch after coming off the bench.
Partey’s second goal was less forceful and squirmed under Martinez, but it was still very much needed to break the Villa curse and keep the Gunners on the attack. For the first time since 1971–72, Arsenal has won its opening two games in a top league season without giving up a goal.