Key Highlights
- Leandro Trossard added a third with 20 minutes to go before the substitute Gabriel Jesus rubbed salt in Aston Villa’s wounds to compound their first defeat in 12 matches and leave them six points adrift of the leaders in third. Arteta hails Arsenal for ‘smelling blood’ in emphatic win against Aston VillaRead moreArsenal had fought their way to five unconvincing wins since losing the reverse fixture to the last kick of the game at Villa Park 25 days ago, and with their title jitters growing as Manchester City have reeled off six successive victories, Mikel Arteta’s side needed a statement victory. The result and new cushion at the top before City visit Sunderland on New Year’s Day achieved the desired outcome in style, but Arteta will not look back on the first half with any fondness.
- The Emirates was edgy, Viktor Gyökeres looked lightweight and profligate up front, leaving an unhappy Arteta to exchange words with the referee, Darren England, as Villa created the better chances, with two let-offs in particular afforded by Ollie Watkins. Arsenal had missed the injured Declan Rice badly during the opening 45 minutes, with Amadou Onana able to dominate in midfield in his absence, and the Belgian’s withdrawal at half-time with a hamstring injury proved pivotal.
- Without Onana’s physical presence Martin Ødegaard found the space to showcase his quality, creating two goals and exuding much-needed calmness under pressure in the absence of Rice. Such composure continues to elude Gyökeres, who contributed little other than missing the target with two first-half headers, with his return five league goals (and just two since September) looking like an extremely poor return for Arsenal’s £64m investment.
- Gyökeres’s shoddy finishing was further highlighted by the contribution of Jesus, who scored his first goal of the season within a minute of being introduced as he continues his rehabilitation from a cruciate knee ligament injury. Gabriel Jesus fires home Arsenal’s fourth goal in the 78th minute.
- ohn Walton/PAAs a result, the nerves that have blighted Arsenal’s recent second-half performances came early before half-time, as Villa threatened on the counterattack.
