Arsenal 3 Aston Villa 2 - analysis

It appears that Villa are intent on doing things by halves.

At half-time in the Emirates Stadium Villa fans reflected on 45 minutes of a job half-done and a first-half display which Alex McLeish hailed as "international class".

All that was quickly forgotten, though, as the FA Cup dreams of the claret and blue faithful quickly turned into a nightmare after a spectacular capitulation in a textbook example of one of football's oldest clichés: This was a game of two halves.

Having been the comeback kings against Wolves last weekend Villa this time were given a dose of their own medicine as Arsenal ruthlessly exposed the lack of mental toughness for which McLeish has yearned since his arrival at the club.

From 2-0 up to 3-2 down in the space of seven crazy minutes after the interval would have left even the most optimistic Villa fan thinking the glass half-empty for the rest of the season rather than half-full.

And with it went Villa's hopes of a silver lining in a competition they have not won for over half a century – 1957 to be exact.

Instead the 5,200 travelling fans left London bemoaning a half-baked display from a number of players who hit performances levels barely half that of their Arsenal counterparts in the second 45 minutes.

From this point forward the cold hard business of the Premier League will be all that matters and McLeish will need to half-inch as many points as he possibly can.

However, this was still an improvement on last season's half-hearted exit with a half-strength side selected by former boss Gerard Houllier as McLeish went with his strongest available line-up.

The Villa boss was without Marc Albrighton (thigh) and James Collins (calf) after the pair picked up injuries in training on Saturday as he made three changes from the side which won at Molineux.

Carlos Cuellar came into the centre of defence alongside Richard Dunne while the recall of Stephen Warnock meant Ciaran Clark reverted to central midfield.

Stephen Ireland returned after a hamstring problem with Gary Gardner dropped to the bench.

It was Arsenal who had the best early chance in the sixth minute when Thomas Vermaelen hit a thunderous free-kick from 30 yards which brought a fine diving save out of Villa keeper Shay Given.

Villa seemed content to let Arsenal play in front of them and hit on the counter- attack and created their first real opening in the 22nd minute on the break when Alan Hutton's cross was met by the head of Darren Bent who was unable to generate any power under pressure.

The home side dominated possession but it was Villa who took the lead in the 33rd minute when Stiliyan Petrov and Robbie Keane worked a short-corner routine.

Keane's curling delivery from the left was inch-perfect for compatriot Dunne who outmuscled two Arsenal defenders at the back post to leap highest and head past Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Arsenal almost levelled shortly after when Tomas Rosicky drilled a low shot from distance which Given gathered at the second time of asking but despite the home side dominating possession it was Villa who struck again.

Petrov showed brilliant vision to release Ireland down the right flank and his ball sent Bent clear. The striker's shot was saved by Fabianski but the arch-poacher needs only half a chance and slotted a low shot into the corner from a tight angle.

However, it was not long after half-time that the interval jeers for Arsene Wenger turned to cheers. Ireland cleared a Per Mertesacker header off the line while Given gathered a Robin van Persie toe- poke.

The home side's pressure paid off when Dunne scythed down Aaron Ramsey inside the penalty area and Van Persie sent Given the wrong way from the 54th-minute spot-kick.

The Gunners levelled three minutes later when the lively Theo Walcott cut inside and saw his shot saved by Given at the near post only for Hutton's left-footed clearance to rebound off the Arsenal winger and into the empty net.

Arsenal were rampant and Villa gave away their second penalty four minutes after that when Bent was harshly judged to have fouled Laurent Koscielny after the pair tangled inside the box. Van Persie did the business from the spot once more.

The visitors felt Van Persie should have received his marching orders in the 64th minute when he appeared to elbow Cuellar in the head as the pair challenged for a high kick from Fabianski.

Villa slowly regained some composure and had a good chance on the counter- attack six minutes later when Petrov found space on the left edge of the box but was unable to pick out Bent.

Substitute Gardner went close with a header from Petrov's corner but Villa were unable to find an equaliser despite a spell of late pressure.

By Timothy Abraham