Aston Villa secured a historic 15th consecutive home league victory with a 1-0 win against Arsenal on Saturday evening.
The hosts took an early lead, propelling Unai Emery’s side within one point of Arsenal and just trailing behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta observed from the stands as Villa thwarted his team for almost 100 minutes, and Arsenal missed the opportunity to reclaim the top spot following Liverpool’s triumph over Crystal Palace earlier in the day.
Get Instantly Update By: Joining Our Whatapps and Telegram Channel
The game unfolded with Villa starting brightly, facing a scare when Arsenal tested them with successive switches of play. Despite a scuffed effort from England winger Bukayo Saka, the hosts capitalized on their next move. Leon Bailey’s run to the byline resulted in a precise cutback for John McGinn, who calmly swiveled and found the top corner from 12 yards.
As Villa started to sit back, Arsenal gained confidence, with Gabriel Martinelli nearly scoring after beating Emiliano Martinez. However, a clearance off the line by Diego Carlos kept Arsenal at bay.
Arsenal pressed on, seeking a penalty after a VAR check when Douglas Luiz appeared to impede Gabriel Jesus. The tension continued as Martinez’s punch from a corner hit Watkins and the post, with Carlos denying William Saliba’s header.
In the second half, Arsenal believed they deserved a penalty after a VAR check for an incident involving Douglas Luiz and Jesus. Saka’s corner was punched by Martinez against Watkins’ head and the post, with Carlos again clearing Saliba’s attempt.
Despite numerous chances for both sides, the game remained intense. Arsenal appeared to equalize when Saka rounded Martinez and netted, but a late offside flag denied the goal. Villa countered swiftly, with Diaby setting up Watkins, but Raya thwarted the attempt.
In the final regulation minute, Arsenal seemed to score when Havertz converted Saka’s cross, but the goal was disallowed due to a bounce off Havertz’s arm after a lengthy VAR review.