Aston Villa vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Leandro Trossard inspires Gunners to win
Aston Villa 0-2 Arsenal: Trossard came off the bench to score before Thomas Partey added a second
Arsenal secured a fine win against Aston Villa away from home after an instant impact from substitute Leandro Trossard who broke the deadlock before getting involved in the build-up to Thomas Partey’s goal.
The teams played out a frustrating first half at Villa Park that was beset with stoppages and breaks of play that favoured the home side and stopped Mikel Arteta’s men finding any rhythm. The Gunners dominated the early stages and Bukayo Saka was denied by Emi Martinez touching his shot wide of the far post.
Villa created two huge opportunities and both came to Ollie Watkins. The first saw him turn the ball wide after Morgan Rogers picks him out in the box and the second saw the striker’s headed effort palmed away by a scrambling David Raya in what could have been the moment of the game.
Trossard was then brought on and arrived at the right time to turn a loose ball home from inside the box. He then drove Arsenal up the pitch and found Saka at the far post. Saka rolled a pass back to Partey whose shot from range beat Martinez to give the Gunners a cushion.
Arsenal take the points and continue their winning runs.
Relive the action from today’s Premier League encounter below:
Aston Villa 0-2 Arsenal
80 mins: 10 minutes to go at Villa Park and you feel as though the game has gone for the hosts. If they can get a goal back there is a chance but Arsenal have been clinical in this second half and Villa haven’t.
GOAL! Aston Villa 0-2 Arsenal (Partey, 77’)
77 mins: Another one!
After a fine run from Trossard who squares a pass across the box Saka has the ball again on the right wing and decides to play it inside for Thomas Partey.
Partet takes a touch then shoots. He drills it well as Martinez leaps across. The goalkeeper gets a hand to the ball but can’t keep it out and Arsenal’s lead is doubled.
Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal
76 mins: Odegaard wins a free kick off Tielemans and takes a couple more seconds out of the game. Unai Emery decides to make a couple of substitutions with Ian Maatsen and Ross Barkley come on to replace Amadou Onana and Lucas Digne.
Will the subs have a similar impact to Leandro Trossard?
Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal
73 mins: Arsenal were fantastic at controlling games last season when they went in front. They had the best performing defence of the Premier League and will need to show why this evening.
Villa have upped the tempo but as is their way Arsenal are slowing things down when they have possession.
Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal
70 mins: What can Aston Villa muster now? They were playing well but that goal has changed the complexion of the match. The home side need to step through the gears now and force Arsenal to defend more.
The Gunners, despite that goal, aren’t playing to the best of their ability and they are there to be taken if Villa can improve themselves.
GOAL! Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal (Trossard, 67’)
67 mins: Bang!
Leandro Trossard has only just come onto the pitch and his impact is immediate. Arsenal come down the right side of the pitch with Saka pulling the ball back from the byline.
It comes to Kai Havertz who gets tackled by Morgan Rogers.
The loose ball rolls to Trossard who drills it into the back of the net.
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
66 mins: Close!
Lucas Digne swings a free kick into the penalty area from the left wing and picks out Ezri Konsa at the back post. Konsa rises above everyone and nods the ball across goal.
None of his teammates can get there though and the ball bounces safely out of play.
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
63 mins: Chance!
Odegaard receives the ball on the edge of the box. He spins away from the nearest defender then slips Bukayo Saka in between the lines.
Saka collects the ball, then looks to shift it around Emi Martinez who makes himself wide and pushes the ball away from the winger.
The replays show Saka was probably offside but that was a moment for Arsenal to at least build some confidence by hitting the back of the net.
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
60 mins: An hour played at Villa Park and things are starting to heat up. Martin Odegaard curls a shot into Martinez’s hands and the Villa goalkeeper thinks about a possible counter-attack before deciding against it.
Still, the deadlock is there to be broken.
Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
57 mins: Villa’s ascendancy continues as they win a corner. The ball is flung into the box towards Amadou Onana who meets it with a header that flies over the crossbar.
The home fans are singing and bouncing around now.
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