Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised the “character, courage and quality” of his team as they strengthened their grip on fourth place in the Premier League with a narrow victory at Aston Villa.
Bukayo Saka was the standout player as the Gunners secured a sixth win from seven games to move four points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United with a game in hand.
The England international scored the only goal in the first half with a low drive from the edge of the area after Villa failed to properly clear a cross into the box.
“You can see the connection they have. It is phenomenal to watch,” Arteta told BT Sport.
“If you want to be a top team, you have to win home and away. We are doing that consistently and we have to continue. We really want [to finish in the top four] and we are going to give it a go.”
Villa improved after the break and went close when Ollie Watkins’ deflected shot clipped the outside of the post, before substitute Danny Ings sent a looping header on to the roof of the net.
Saka stars as Arsenal secure vital win
Arsenal’s jubilant celebrations at the final whistle showed just how significant they feel this result could be as the north London club seek to return to the Champions League for the first time in five years.
The win was based on a vibrant first-half display, followed up by a resilient defensive performance after the break.
Saka was excellent during the opening 45 minutes, tormenting 39-year-old Ashley Young who was in the Villa side for the injured Lucas Digne.
Saka got in behind Young inside the opening two minutes to create a chance for Emile Smith Rowe, while another cross struck Ezri Konsa and needed a fine stop from Emiliano Martinez to prevent an own goal.
The goal came from a quickly taken free-kick that caught Villa out down the right, with Cedric’s cross only cleared to Saka at the edge of the box, who fired home through a crowd of players for his 10th goal of the season in all competitions.
Arsenal tired after the break which allowed Villa to get more of a grip on the game, but they prevented the home side from having a shot on target until the final minute of stoppage time, when Philippe Coutinho’s free-kick was pushed away by Bernd Leno.
Villa stifled in narrow defeat
Steven Gerrard’s side went into this game having lost nine of their 11 top-flight fixtures this season against the current top eight, most recently a 2-1 defeat at West Ham last week that brought a run of three successive wins without conceding to an end.
The gap between the Midlands side and those above them again looked significant during a poor first half that saw them fail to muster a shot on or off target.
“It was a tough first half because we allowed it to be tough,” Gerrard told BT Sport. “I think we were indecisive in the things we tried to do. I think our performance lacked belief. It wasn’t until after half-time that we showed we can be better.”
Villa did improve after the break but failed to put the Arsenal backline under any sustained pressure, with the attacking threat of forwards Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia stifled by the visitors.
John McGinn went close with a curling effort from distance while their best opportunity fell to Watkins, whose effort from inside the area struck Kieran Tierney’s knee before clipping the outside of the post.
The defeat means any European challenge now looks unlikely, with 10 points separating them and Wolves in eighth.
But a first Premier League top-10 finish in 11 years is definitely achievable and would be a sign of the progress made under Gerrard, given they were two points above the relegation zone in 16th when he was appointed in November.
“I don’t think teams like Arsenal are a step too far,” added the former Rangers boss. “But there is a gap we need to close. We are working on that.”
Player of the match
SakaBukayo Saka
Aston Villa
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Squad number1Player nameMartínezAverage rating
5.31
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Squad number7Player nameMcGinnAverage rating
5.00
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Squad number23Player namePhilippe CoutinhoAverage rating
4.81
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Squad number2Player nameCashAverage rating
4.80
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Squad number20Player nameIngsAverage rating
4.60
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Squad number4Player nameKonsaAverage rating
4.55
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Squad number31Player nameBaileyAverage rating
4.53
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Squad number18Player nameYoungAverage rating
4.48
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Squad number11Player nameWatkinsAverage rating
4.47
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Squad number15Player nameTraoréAverage rating
4.44
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Squad number5Player nameMingsAverage rating
4.40
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Squad number41Player nameJ RamseyAverage rating
4.40
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Squad number6Player nameDouglas LuizAverage rating
4.36
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Squad number10Player nameBuendíaAverage rating
4.14
Arsenal
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Squad number7Player nameSakaAverage rating
8.69
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Squad number3Player nameTierneyAverage rating
8.14
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Squad number5Player nameParteyAverage rating
8.08
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Squad number8Player nameØdegaardAverage rating
7.98
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Squad number6Player nameGabriel MagalhãesAverage rating
7.95
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Squad number4Player nameWhiteAverage rating
7.91
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Squad number10Player nameSmith RoweAverage rating
7.83
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Squad number1Player nameLenoAverage rating
7.50
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Squad number34Player nameXhakaAverage rating
7.42
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Squad number9Player nameLacazetteAverage rating
7.38
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Squad number17Player nameCédric SoaresAverage rating
7.35
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Squad number16Player nameHoldingAverage rating
7.08
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Squad number19Player namePépéAverage rating
6.25
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Squad number30Player nameNketiahAverage rating
5.91
Line-ups
Aston Villa
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Martínez
- 2Cash
- 4Konsa
- 5MingsBooked at 33mins
- 18Young
- 7McGinnBooked at 34mins
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 41J RamseyBooked at 15minsSubstituted forBaileyat 69′minutes
- 10BuendíaSubstituted forTraoréat 69′minutes
- 11WatkinsSubstituted forIngsat 82′minutes
- 23Coutinho
Substitutes
- 8Sanson
- 15Traoré
- 16Chambers
- 20Ings
- 25Olsen
- 31Bailey
- 33Chukwuemeka
- 47Iroegbunam
- 58O’Reilly
Arsenal
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Leno
- 17Cédric SoaresBooked at 57mins
- 4White
- 6Gabriel
- 3Tierney
- 8ØdegaardSubstituted forHoldingat 86′minutes
- 5ParteyBooked at 65mins
- 34XhakaBooked at 45mins
- 7SakaSubstituted forPépéat 69′minutes
- 9LacazetteSubstituted forNketiahat 78′minutes
- 10Smith Rowe
Substitutes
- 16Holding
- 19Pépé
- 20Tavares
- 23Sambi Lokonga
- 25Elneny
- 30Nketiah
- 33Okonkwo
- 69Swanson
- 82Hutchinson
- Referee:
- Andy Madley
- Attendance:
- 41,956
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Aston Villa 0, Arsenal 1.
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Second Half ends, Aston Villa 0, Arsenal 1.
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Attempt saved. Philippe Coutinho (Aston Villa) right footed shot from long range on the left is saved in the bottom right corner.
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Foul by Nicolas Pépé (Arsenal).
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Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt missed. Bertrand Traoré (Aston Villa) header from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by John McGinn with a cross.
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Attempt missed. Danny Ings (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
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Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
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Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Bertrand Traoré (Aston Villa) header from a difficult angle on the right is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Philippe Coutinho with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Kieran Tierney.
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Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
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Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Arsenal. Rob Holding replaces Martin Ødegaard.
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Attempt missed. Danny Ings (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by John McGinn with a cross.
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Foul by Nicolas Pépé (Arsenal).
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Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa).
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Substitution, Aston Villa. Danny Ings replaces Ollie Watkins.
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