Premier League GW33 - Arsenal vs Aston Villa

Arsenal vs Aston Villa | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Arsenal's hopes of winning the Premier League were dashed as Aston Villa defeated the Gunners 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium with an incredible late comeback. Each team struggled mightily in the first half, but neither was able to break the tie. But in the closing moments, Villa took advantage of Arsenal's defensive errors to secure an important victory.

Arsenal:

Arsenal is in the running for the Premier League title, and they would take the lead in the standings if they win today. The Gunners have won 10 of their previous 11 league games (D1), scoring at least twice in each of those victories. This is an outstanding run of play. In these 11 games, the Gunners have only let up four goals, but three of those have come at the Emirates Stadium. This season, Mikel Arteta's team has only lost once in 15 Premier League games (W12 D2) at home, making it a fortress. Arsenal has defeated Aston Villa 3-0 at home in league play in November 2020, but has won five of the previous six meetings.

Aston Villa:

After losing eight of their previous nine Premier League away games against London teams (W6 D3), Aston Villa is undefeated in their last nine games now (W1). In the history of the league, the Villans have never lost in the nation's capital. Unai Emery's team is trying to accomplish just their third Premier League double over Arsenal after defeating them 1-0 at Villa Park in December. They have also done so in 1992–93 and 2020–21. The Villans are fighting hard to qualify for the Champions League this year, and a win today might put them three points ahead of Tottenham in fifth position.

Line ups:

ARSENAL (4-3-3): David Raya; Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Ben White; Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard; Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka.

ARSENAL SUBS: Aaron Ramsdale, Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Jakub Kiwior, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jorginho, Fabio Vieira.

ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Emiliano Martínez; Lucas Digne, Pau Torres, Diego Carlos, Ezri Konsa; Nicolo Zaniolo, Youri Tielemans, John McGinn, Morgan Rogers; Ollie Watkins, Moussa Diaby.

ASTON VILLA SUBS: Matty Cash, Alex Moreno, Calum Chambers, Clement Lenglet, Jhon Duran, Robin Olsen, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Leon Bailey, Tim Iroegbunam.

Emirates Stadium | Picture Credits - The FA

A goalless first half as both the teams struggled to score | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

First Half: Missed Opportunities

In an exciting first half, both sides had plenty of chances, with Ollie Watkins of Villa and Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal both going close to scoring. Watkins was, however, denied by the woodwork, and Emiliano Martínez's superb stop denied Leandro Trossard of Arsenal. Despite their best efforts, the teams were level at zero goals at the interval.

Second Half: Villa's Late Surge

Both teams kept trying to break through in the second half, but strong goalkeeping and defense kept the score tied. Villa took advantage of the situation as the game was coming to a close. Leon Bailey, a replacement, scored with aplomb in the 84th minute to give Villa the lead after a defensive error. A few minutes later, Youri Tielemans' well-timed through ball allowed Watkins to double Villa's lead with a calm finish.

Bailey scored a goal and broke the deadlock for Aston Villa which gave them a 0-1 lead | Picture Credits: Premier League Website

Villa's Resilience

Aston Villa defeated Arsenal 2-0, a victory that was vital because of their tenacity and skillful finishing. Arsenal dominated possession and opportunities produced, but Villa maintained composure defensively and took advantage of their chances to score. Villa moves three points clear of Tottenham in fifth place as a result of the outcome, severely hurting Arsenal's chances of winning the title. When the final siren went off, Villa celebrated their thrilling victory away from home, while Arsenal lamented their defensive errors and wasted chances.

Watkins scored a goal for Villa which doubled their lead to 0-2 | Picture Credits: Premier League Website