Birmingham –
Aston Villa won the 23rd week of the Premier League this season. Entertaining Arsenal, Jack Grealish et al won 1-0.
Playing at Villa Park, Saturday (6/2/2021), Villa’s single winning goal was scored by Ollie Watkins when the game had only been running for 74 seconds, taking advantage of Cedric Soares’ blunder. There are no more goals that are created after that.
These results led Villa up to eighth in the Premier League standings with 35 points. Meanwhile, the Gunners fell to position ten, collecting 31 points.
[Gambas:Opta]
The course of the match
The host immediately took a quick lead when the game was not even two minutes away. Bertrand Traore’s mistaken pass from Cedric Soares was captured by Bertrand, who then entered the penalty box and fired a cross at Ollie Watkins.
Watkins completed the bait with a hard kick against Arsenal. The ball hit Rob Holding, but still failed to be dammed by goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, who today replaced Bernd Leno. GOAL! Aston Villa lead 1-0.
New Arsenal opportunities were created in the 29th minute. Granit Xhaka fired a gorgeous free-kick at Aston Villa’s goal, but Emiliano Martinez managed to knock it off the pitch. A minute later, Holding’s header through a corner is still wide.
Villa did not remain silent after winning. In the 31st minute, Traore almost doubled the hosts’ lead after receiving a through pass from Ross Barkley, but his chip shot was safely cleared by Ryan. Barkley tries to throw up the ball, but his shot is blocked by Gabriel.
Holding got another chance in the 33rd minute on a free-kick, but his header shot over the net. Score 1-0 for Villa lasted until the break.
In the second half, Aston Villa immediately pressed from the start. Barkley had a chance to score in the 48th minute, but his shot was slow and easy for Ryan to catch.
Watkins threatened again in the 50th minute, but Ryan was able to ignore it. Barkley had another chance in the 52nd minute, but his shot was off target.
Arsenal try to get out of the pressure. There was Nicolas Pepe who tried his luck in the 52nd minute, but his shot went wide down the left. Villa immediately responded with John McGinn’s long-range shot in the 54th minute, but Ryan managed to brush it off.
Arsenal attacked again. Hector Bellerin also fired a long-range shot in the 56th minute, this time successfully secured by Martinez.
A deadlock situation made Arsenal enter Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the 59th minute, replacing Lacazette. Arsenal attack immediately came to life.
Aubameyang had a chance to equalize in the 67th minute, but his header was wide on the left of Martinez’s goal. Two minutes later, Pepe’s shot was pushed over by the Argentine goalkeeper.
Aston Villa pushed back through Jack Grealish in the 79th minute, but Ryan managed to ward off a left-footed shot. A minute later, Gabriel’s header against Villa was easily secured by Martinez.
Martin Odegaard had a golden opportunity while standing free in the Villa penalty box in the 84th minute, but his shot bounced over the net. Jacob Ramsey responded by threatening Arsenal’s goal in the 89th minute, and Ryan again managed to brush it off.
Score 1-0 for Villa to close the match this time.
Line-up of players
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Nakamba, McGinn, Traore (Trezeguet 66′), Barkley (Ramsey 78′), Grealish, Watkins.
Arsenal: Ryan, Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Cedric (Odegaard 65′), Thomas (Willian 75′), Xhaka, Saka, Smith-Rowe, Pepe, Lacazette (Aubameyang 59′).
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