Bukayo Saka's goal just before the hour mark was enough for champions Arsenal to maintain their perfect start with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa at Villa Park. This fixture was one of the few matches that the Gunners lost in winning the Premier League title last season but Saka's close-range effort decided what was a tight game despite an improved showing from Unai Emery's much-changed Aston Villa line-up. Villa were four down after 31 minutes in that astonishing capitulation at Brighton on the opening weekend but they showed far more resilience against the Gunners from the outset.
Emiliano Buendia crashed the ball against David Raya's crossbar on 12 minutes. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Mikel Arteta's men, unchanged from the win over Coventry, were their usual probing selves, asking searching questions from set pieces and controlling possession for long periods. But Gabriel's mistimed header was as close as they came in the first half.
Christos Tzolis was substituted at half-time having been booked and running the risk of a red card after that, but the introduction of Eberechi Eze worked out well. Arsenal ramped up the pressure in the second half with the ever-impressive Saka to the fore. Arsenal's talisman thought he had won a penalty early in the second half but Ian Maatsen's foul was ruled to be outside the box following a VAR review.
It mattered not because he forced in Riccardo Calafiori's centre from close range soon afterwards. The home side, who included debutants Zion Suzuki and Nicolas Jackson in their starting line-up, pushed for an equaliser but Arsenal, who brought on former Villa man Ezri Konsa late on, stayed strong to claim the win. A show of strength by the champions.
Aston Villa are not only without a point from their opening two games but they are yet to register a shot on target. 12 - BAR! Buendia lashes the ball against Raya's crossbar 56 - VAR! Saka denied penalty as Maatsen's foul is outside box 59 - GOAL!
Calafiori's low cross is forced into the net by Saka 75 - MISS! Suzuki saves one-on-one from Havertz but he is off Tzolis has made a promising start to his Arsenal career but this was a more difficult evening for him. The response from Arteta?
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