Second-half goals by Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey earned Arsenal earn a hard-fought 2-0 win at Aston Villa on Saturday as Mikel Arteta’s side continued their perfect start to the Premier League season.
Villa did the double over Arsenal last season, defeats that ultimately cost the Gunners the title, and had plenty of chances to make it three successive wins at Villa Park, striker Ollie Watkins missing two gilt-edged openings.
However, Arsenal weathered the storm, taking the lead in the 67th minute through substitute Trossard, before Partey made sure of the three points 10 minutes later.
Villa supporters headed for the exits, ruing their missed opportunities, as Arsenal’s travelling fans celebrated two wins from two to keep them on track for another serious title challenge.
As well as getting the better of Arsenal twice last term, accounting for 40% of the Gunners’ Premier League defeats in the entire season, Villa came into Saturday’s match as the only side to beat Arteta’s team in 2024.
On the road, Arsenal have been especially unrelenting this year, winning eight of their nine Premier League away games ahead of the trip to the Midlands, scoring 28 goals, conceding three and keeping seven clean sheets.
The visitors again made a blistering start at Villa Park, dominating the opening exchanges, with Bukayo Saka denied by a superb early save from Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez.
Villa did settle into the game and should have taken the lead in the 24th minute, but England striker Watkins somehow contrived to miss the target with the goal at his mercy.
Watkins was again guilty of wasting a glorious opening early in the second half, heading too close to David Raya in the Arsenal goal when reacting first to Amadou Onana’s effort coming down off the crossbar.
In pursuit of their first league title in 20 years, Arsenal were always going to threaten and took their chance when it came, Trossard sweeping home with his first touch after coming off the bench.
Partey’s second was less emphatic, squirming under Martinez, but no less crucial to end the Villa hoodoo and keep the Gunners firing. Arsenal have won their first two games in a top-flight campaign without conceding for the first time since 1971-72.