Bukayo Saka scored the one purpose. Picture: AFP
BIRMINGHAM:
Arsenal prolonged their flawless begin to the Premier League season as Bukayo Saka sealed the champions’ 1-0 win in opposition to troubled Aston Villa on Monday.
Saka’s second-half strike at Villa Park wrapped up Arsenal’s second successive victory.
In an announcement of intent to their title rivals, Mikel Arteta’s aspect have taken most factors from their opening two video games with out conceding a purpose.
It was the best manner for Arteta to mark his 250th league sport in command of the Gunners.
Arteta had picked the identical beginning line-up that cruised to a 3-0 win in opposition to Coventry of their season opener 10 days earlier.
Saka was on the scoresheet in that victory and as soon as once more the England winger delivered a beneficial contribution.
Underlining the standard at Arteta’s disposal, England centre-back Ezri Konsa got here off the bench within the closing levels for his Arsenal debut in opposition to his former membership after leaving Villa in a £51 million ($69 million) transfer on August 21.
Arsenal will face the primary severe take a look at of their capacity to retain the title on Sunday after they host London rivals Chelsea, who’ve additionally gained their first two matches.
By then, Arsenal might be bolstered by one other new arrival as they proceed to trace unsettled Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez forward of Tuesday’s switch deadline.
The one concern for Arteta was a possible harm that pressured Declan Rice to limp off within the closing levels.
For Villa, the sensation of frustration is rising after a second consecutive defeat.
Unai Emery’s workforce slumped to a 4-0 loss at Brighton of their opener within the midst of the membership’s astonishing summer season sale.
Motivated partially by the necessity to preserve in keeping with Premier League monetary guidelines, Villa have ripped aside their Europa League-winning squad, promoting Konsa, Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Martinez, Lucas Digne and Youri Tielemans.
Villa look a shadow of the colourful workforce that ended their 30-year trophy drought final time period, leaving Emery with a frightening job on his fingers.
In step with the sense of a membership beneath renovation, one finish of Villa Park was closed to followers on Monday resulting from constructing work to extend the capability.
Ruthless Arsenal
Nicolas Jackson made his Villa debut after arriving from Chelsea as Watkins’s substitute in assault, whereas Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, a latest signing from Parma, was given his maiden look.
Villa winger Emiliano Buendia lashed a fierce strike in opposition to the crossbar in a rocky begin for Arsenal.
The Gunners finally recovered their composure and Villa defender Pau Torres was pressured to make an excellent block to cease Christos Tzolis tapping in Saka’s cross.
Arsenal appealed in useless for a penalty when Riccardo Calafiori tumbled beneath contact from Torres late within the first half.
After his aspect confirmed a definite lack of innovative within the opening interval, Arteta changed Tzolis with Eberechi Eze on the interval.
The change made an impression and Victor Lindelof wanted to make a last-ditch intervention to cease Kai Havertz changing Rice’s cross.
Martin Odegaard curled a free-kick inches large after VAR overturned the preliminary choice to award a penalty for Ian Maatsen’s barge on Saka as a result of the foul occurred simply outdoors the world.
It was solely a brief reprieve for Villa as Saka broke the impasse on the climax of a superbly constructed raid within the 59th minute.
Eze’s cross picked out Calafiori’s run into the Villa space and the defender’s low cross was poked in by Saka from shut vary.
Havertz’s blast was saved by Suzuki earlier than Konsa made his debut to a mixture of boos and applause from conflicted Villa followers.
With Konsa serving to to shutdown Villa’s forwards, Arsenal have been in a position to wrap up a gritty success.