Arsenal defeated Aston Villa 4-2 on Saturday, Mikel Arteta’s team getting back on track in the Premier League championship chase thanks to two stoppage-time goals.
Inside the first five minutes, Villa striker Ollie Watkins scored the game’s first goal with a strong, low finish. Soon after, Arsenal scored again thanks to a thunderous drive from winger Bukayo Saka, but Villa regained the lead later in the first half thanks to an excellent team play that was completed by Philippe Coutinho.
On the hour mark, Oleksandr Zinchenko’s low shot from the outside of the box into the bottom right corner gave Mikel Arteta’s team an equaliser.
Before the dramatic conclusion, both teams squandered golden opportunities. Before Arsenal scored to secure the victory, Martin Odegaard for Arsenal missed a goal when it seemed he would score, while Leon Bailey for Villa had a shot deflected onto the crossbar.
Arsenal was in danger of losing its fourth straight Premier League game, but in stoppage time, January newcomer Jorginho scored when his drive from the outside of the box hit Emiliano Martinez in the back of the head and hit the crossbar.
As Martinez stepped up to attack a last-second corner, Gabriel Martinelli scored a fourth nearly immediately. The Arsenal striker then launched a counterattack, scoring on an empty goal.
The north London team is currently two points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League after the latter team drew 1-1 with Nottingham Forest later on Saturday.
“We learned an incredible lesson from this game that applies to all of us. All we have to do is keep on believing that we can succeed in everything “explained Zinchenko.
“These folks are just remarkable. If we keep going in this direction, if we keep fighting and believing, they will be able to get all they want. In the second half, every single one of our responses was spot on.”
Saka has to be protected, according to Arsenal manager Arteta, after the winger was fouled many times on Saturday.
He’s okay, Arteta said. “He received quite a few kicks today once again. But since it’s his game and opponents are smart and try to stop him, he will have to deal with it sometimes in training as well as every three days. We have to safeguard him because of this.”
After the outcome, Villa now has 28 points from 23 games.
“One of those games where you have to review what occurred after the fact since you weren’t really aware of it at the time. I’m not entirely sure what went wrong “Unai Emery, manager of Villa, stated.
Tom Hanks, a famous actor, attended the game, which was disappointing for Emery since he seemed to have his strategy down in the first half and would have dearly liked to defeat the side he previously led.
He reprimanded goalkeeper Martinez for disregarding caution in the last minute and charging forward, saying, “I am furious, it’s not good.”
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