Arsenal 2 Aston Villa 2 - Villa second-half comeback stuns Gunners

Unai Emery’s men looked destined for defeat when the hosts led 2-0 through goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz.

But Youri Tielemans brought the visitors back into it with his first Premier League goal of the season before Ollie Watkins volleyed them level.

Arsenal then saw a late winner ruled out by VAR for a handball by Havertz as Villa held on for the draw. 

Analysis

Havertz was adamant Mikel Merino’s shot had deflected off his chest, rather than his arm but VAR John Brooks thought otherwise.

Merino then hit the post, before Emi Martinez denied Leandro Trossard as Villa claimed a draw which felt very much a win.

The result had looked improbable when Havertz doubled the home side’s lead 10 minutes into the second half.

Villa had been passive but when they exerted pressure on a Gunners defence missing the injured William Saliba, they found a way through.

After Tielemans pulled one back with a brilliant diving header, Watkins drew them level just when it looked as though he was going to be replaced by Jhon Duran.

The result moved Villa back up to seventh in the table, just two points behind fourth-placed Newcastle. Arsenal are six points behind leaders Liverpool having played a game more.

Villa didn’t get out of their own half for the first 10 minutes of the match. But a Martinelli effort on the stretch, saved by Emi Martinez, was the only chance the hosts could muster as the visitors defended four corners with relative ease.

When Villa did push forward they created a chance, Ian Maatsen bringing a sharp save out of David Raya after a ricochet had fallen nicely into his path.

Maatsen, who replaced Lucas Digne at left-back in the only change the team which started Wednesday’s 1-0 win at Everton, was then booked for bringing down Martinelli, moment after Leandro Trossard had brought a flying save from Martinez with a curling effort.

Otherwise, the home side looked rather short on ideas and their head coach, Mikel Arteta, was booked for angrily disputing a throw-in decision.

His mood would have worsened had Watkins been able to take a chance presented to him by Thomas Partey. The Arsenal man threw the ball straight to the Villa striker but with Raya off his line, Watkins was unable to get his attempted lob on target.

Then from what felt like nowhere, Villa were behind. Watkins had a shot blocked at one end and in the next attack, Trossard swung a cross to the far post. Martinelli got the jump on Maatsen and though Martinez got a hand to shot, the ball went spinning up and over the line before the keeper could push it out, goal-line technology confirming Villa’s fate.

The visitors suffered another setback with the loss of Amadou Onana to injury, their record signing having gone down in the build-up to the goal.

Arsenal had a spring in their step and went close to adding a second when Trossard swept a shot just over the bar.

Maatsen’s evening ended at the break as Emery brought Digne off the bench and the France international was quickly in the action, clearing Myles Lewis-Skelly’s cross from under the shadow of his own bar.

But just like the first half Villa had failed to get going and 10 minutes in Arsenal doubled their lead. Again the goal came from a Trossard cross, Havertz’s volley striking Martinez and flying inside the far post off the keeper’s legs.

It looked a long way back for Villa but within five minutes they had halved the deficit, Tielemans getting on the end of Digne’s cross and sending a diving header beyond Raya.

Barely a minute later the Belgian nearly scored again to level it up, his shot striking the post after a driving run by Ramsey had put the home defence on the back foot.

Martinelli volleyed wide as the hosts looked to restore their two-goal cushion but it was Villa who scored next to square things up.

With Duran waiting to come on, Cash floated a left-footed cross to the far post and Watkins sent a volley in off the bar.

Duran was eventually introduced with 11 minutes remaining but it was Arsenal who then thought they had won it when Merino’s shot hit Havertz and looped in. But VAR ruled the ball had struck the latter’s hand and the goal was ruled out.

Driven by a sense of injustice the hosts pushed forward. Merino sent a drive against the post and in the ensuing scramble, Martinez saved from Trossard.

Key Moments

35 GOAL Gabriel Martinelli puts Arsenal ahead, converting Leandro Trossard’s cross despite the best efforts of Villa keeper Emi Martinez.

55 GOAL Arsenal double their lead. This time it is Kai Havertz gets on the end of a Trossard cross and Martinez can’t keep the effort out.

60 GOAL Villa are back in it. Lucas Digne whips in a cross and Youri Tielemans beats David Raya with a diving header.

68 GOAL We’re all square. Matty Cash’s left-footed cross finds Ollie Watkins at the far post and he volleys in off the bar.

Teams

Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya, Partey, Timber, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Merino, Rice, Odegaard, Havertz, Martinelli (Sterling 82), Trossard Subs not used: Tierney, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Butler-Oyedeji, Kabia, Kacurri, Neto (gk).

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen (Digne HT), Kamara, Onana (Bogarde 37), Rogers, Tielemans, Ramsey (Bailey 84), Watkins (Duran 79) Subs not used: Bogarde, Nedeljkovic, Buendia, Malen, Olsen (gk), Gauci (gk).