“He’s the only standout player for Arsenal today…” Arteta was advised that if he wishes to retain his position, he should avoid benching any Arsenal player.
Arsenal managed a hard-fought away victory against Aston Villa. Early injury delays disrupted the game, but Arsenal appeared to have the upper hand. They could have taken the lead when Bukayo Saka’s shot was expertly saved by Emi Martinez. On the following play, Villa nearly went ahead when Leon Bailey intercepted the ball from Gabriel and set up Ollie Watkins for a tap-in, but Watkins missed the opportunity by shooting wide. The match was tightly contested at halftime, with both teams creating chances in the second half. Villa seemed to have the upper hand briefly.
As the game progressed, Villa looked poised to score when Amadou Onana’s shot struck the bar and fell to Watkins, but David Raya made a crucial save to keep the score level.
Despite Villa’s strong performance, Arsenal took control when Leandro Trossard scored with a low shot. Thomas Partey then added a second goal with a powerful shot from the edge of the box, which slipped past Emi Martinez, securing a two-goal advantage for Arsenal. The football.london team provided ratings for each Arsenal player:
– **David Raya – 9:** Made an outstanding save to deny Watkins, showcasing impressive reflexes and distribution. Arsenal has a top-notch goalkeeper.
– **Ben White – 6:** Was occasionally out of position as Villa attacked but performed well in one-on-one situations.
– **William Saliba – 7:** Struggled against John McGinn’s physical play early on but managed to handle Watkins’ runs effectively and made a crucial late-game tackle on Ramsey.
– **Gabriel – 6:** Made a poor clearance in the first half that could have led to a goal but recovered well and led strongly after Arsenal took the lead.
– **Jurrien Timber – 7:** Positioned himself well but had some trouble keeping Bailey under control. Generally solid in one-on-one situations.
– **Thomas Partey – 7:** Continued to make impactful long-range efforts, with one resulting in a goal. Though not always dominant in midfield, he was crucial to the win.
– **Martin Odegaard – 7:** Provided the assist for the first goal with a precise through ball to Saka. Arsenal nearly scored a third late in the game, but the chance went over the bar.
