ARSENAL buried their Aston Villa bogey as Mikel Arteta ticked one huge task off his title-winning ‘to do,’ list.
Supersub Leandro Trossard came off the bench to score with his first touch and had a hand in the Gunners’ second which was expertly finished by Thomas Partey.
But a special mention must go to David Raya who produced a world class save to prevent Ollie Watkins from giving Villa the lead, two minutes before Trossard struck.
If the Gunners are to go one better than the previous two seasons and finally topple Manchester City, this was pretty much a must-win match.
No team did more harm to Arsenal’s title hopes last season than Unai Emery’s Villa, who plundered six points out of six from the Gunners.
That amounted to a whopping 40% of all the points dropped by Arteta’s men last season.
So after just two games, Arteta has already nudged one monkey off his back!
The Gunners boss strengthened his back four by handing Jurrien Timber his second Premier League start and first since he ruptured his ACL last August.
In contrast Emery had to contend with Matty Cash pulling his hamstring while trying to cut out a Gabriel Martinelli cross after 13 minutes.
That forced Villa into an early change as 18-year-old Serbian Kosta Nedeljkovic came in for an acid test of his nerve.
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Emi Martinez had already made one early routine save, gathering a Declan Rice shot after he had pushed a deep Saka cross into the midfielder’s path.
But the Argentine World Cup winner showed why Villa fans call him the World’s No.1 after 16 minutes with a world class save.
Saka cut inside Lucas Digne and curled in a low left-footer which was heading for the far corner until Martinez hurled himself to his right to brilliantly palm the ball wide.
However the ‘keeper rode his luck moments later when he collapsed in his six yard box as Kai Havertz crashed the ball off the bar following a corner.
Referee Michael Oliver blew for a foul – but it certainly wasn’t on Martinez.
Ollie Watkins hadn’t managed one touch of the ball in the opening 20 minutes as he was brilliantly policed by William Saliba.
But when his first came midway through the first half he fluffed it as Villa blew a golden opportunity.
Leon Bailey dispossessed Gabriel and Morgan Rogers slipped a perfect set-up ball to Watkins.
But in front of watching England boss Lee Carsley, England’s Euro 24 hero screwed his shot wide from 10 yards with the goal at his mercy.
It was the kind of finish Watkins would have buried last season but he clearly hasn’t blown away all the cobwebs after his extended summer break.
Thomas Partey was similarly wasteful when he launched a 25 yarder well over before the game finally sparked into life – thanks to a feisty Scot!
John McGinn took exception to Saliba bundling Watkins over by the corner flag and blasted the loose ball into the Frenchman’s midriff.
As Saliba squared up to him, Ben White smashed the ball off McGinn and suddenly there was a melee betweeen at least a dozen quarelling players.
Michael Oliver wisely let the perpetrators off with a warning but Villa were on the front foot now and Raya dived to his left to deny Rogers, then grabbed an attempted chip from Bailey just under his bar.
Rice was booked for a foul on Rogers and Arteta was given a ticking off for too much backchat before half-time gave everyone the chance to cool down.
Villa returned determined to step up the pace and Arsenal had David Raya to thank for keeping them in the game after 54 minutes.
Amadou Onana crashed a shot off Gabriel which looped over Raya and bounced back into play off the crossbar.
With the keeper grounded Watkins moved in for the kill and sent a diving header hurtling towards the empty net.
But somehow Raya scrambled back to his feet to claw the ball away to prevent a certain goal with a world class intervention.
It turned out to be the turning point in the game.
Emery replaced Watkins and McGinn with Jhon Duran and Jacob Ramsey, while Arteta sent on Leandro Trossard for Martinelli.
But it was Arteta’s change which came up trumps!
Within two minutes the Belgian had fired Arsenal in front and 10 minutes later he had a hand in their second!
The winger made an instant impact as he scored with his first touch.
Saka did well to keep the ball in play as he cut it back from the dead ball line and it crashed off Rogers into Trossard’s path.
The Belgian didn’t even need a touch as he swept the ball right-footed and buried it low beyond Martinez into the far corner.
Ten minutes later he helped put the game beyond Villa.
Trossard drilled a low cross which sped across the face of goal to Saka beyond the far post.
The winger cut the ball back to Thomas Partey who used Pau Torres as a screen to sweep the ball home.
Although Martinez got a glove to it the keeper saw it late and for once, his hand simply wasn’t strong enough to keep it out.
Like his shot, Arsenal are going to take some stopping on this form.
