Arsenal 0 Aston Villa 3 - Report

This victory did not, admittedly, possess quite the wow factor as their 7-2 demolition of Liverpool - few results could - yet it was still hugely impressive and for boss Dean Smith just perhaps even more satisfying.

After successive defeats had taken a little of the shine off Villa's quick start to the Premier League season, this was a win to send the confidence and optimism pouring back in.

Villa were so good they relegated the division’s latest VAR controversy - as John McGinn saw a first minute goal chalked off - to a mere sub-plot.

By the end the main talking point was the excellent and occasionally irresistible attacking play of Smith’s team, as Jack Grealish, Ross Barkley and Ollie Watkins all shone

After taking the lead through Bukayo Saka’s own goal, Smith’s men secured the win with two second half goals in quick succession from Watkins, inflicting Arsenal's joint-heaviest home Premier League defeat in the process.

£28million signing Watkins has now netted six times in seven Premier League appearances, while Chelsea loanee Barkley was heavily involved in Villa's opening two goals, an impressive response of his own after disappointing displays against Leeds and Southampton.

Grealish, meanwhile, was at times unplayable, delivering a performance which will surely have caught the eye of England boss Gareth Southgate.

Even more pleasing for Smith was the return of the defensive discipline and desire which had characterised his team when they opened the campaign by winning their opening four matches.

No player summed up the effort more than winger Trezeguet, who pressured Saka into putting through his own net and fought for every ball.

Villa, who failed to keep a clean sheet on the road through the whole of last season, are still to concede away from home. For goalkeeper Emi Martinez the return to his former club proved a pretty quiet night.

The line-ups for both teams contained no surprises. Trezeguet, as expected, returned to replace the injured Bertrand Traore in Villa’s XI, with Anwar El Ghazi restored to the bench.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta kept faith with the same team which had won at Manchester United last time out in the Premier League seven days previously.

Villa thought they were in front after just 45 seconds. Matt Targett found Grealish wide on the left, who cut inside before passing to McGinn, the Scot taking a touch before rifling a shot into the roof of the net.

It was a stunning strike but Villa’s celebrations were first paused and then ended by VAR.

There was no disputing Barkley was in an offside position when McGinn struck the ball. The question for the officials was whether the on loan Chelsea midfielder was obstructing the view of Leno.

After a four-minute delay and consulting the pitchside monitor, referee Martin Atkinson ruled he was and ruled the goal out, regardless of the fact the German goalkeeper would probably have needed his arms to be twice as long to stand any chance of saving the shot.

Fears the setback might rattle Villa appeared well founded when McGinn then undersold a backpass to present Thomas Partey with a golden chance, goalkeeper Emi Martinez racing out of goal to deny the midfielder at point-blank range.

Yet gradually the visitors found their rhythm, taking the lead on 25 minutes thanks to a patient and excellently worked move.

At one stage it appeared Targett, Grealish and Barkley were holding their own training drill out on the left wing as they moved the ball around by the Arsenal box, for what must have been close to a minute.

Eventually Barkley made space for Targett with a neat through pass which the left-back sent racing across goal, Saka getting the final touch to divert the ball into his own net under pressure from Trezeguet.

Arsenal looked for way back but Villa defended fiercely, Ezri Konsa blocking a Kieran Tierney cross before Targett got in the way of Willian’s shot.

The visitors, meanwhile, continued to look dangerous in attack, with Gabriel alert to block from Grealish after the skipper had been picked out by McGinn’s ball over the top.

Poor as the Gunners had been, they really should have gone in level at the break. But having got a step on Targett for the first time in the match, Alexandre Lacazette sent his header from Tierney’s cross over the bar from six yards out.

Arteta’s displeasure with his team’s display by the half-time departure of £45million signing Partey, replaced in midfield by Dani Ceballos.

Yet it was Villa who threatened again when Trezeguet stung the palms of Leno with a fierce shot from the right-hand side of the box.

Ceballos fired just wide from 20 yards out following a training ground free-kick routine from the hosts, after Trezeguet had been penalised for fouling Saka.

Grealish was then denied twice in short succession, first by Leno, who got a glove to his shot from a tight angle to send it flying wide, then by Tierney who got his body in the way of the Villa skipper’s volley from Barkley’s corner.

The Gunners were starting to commit more men forward in search of a leveller and they went close on the hour mark, Rob Holding missing the target from close range after Gabriel’s cross had taken two deflections and fallen neatly into his path eight yards out.

Arteta introduced Nicolas Pepe off the bench and the Ivory Coast international curled a shot just wide of the post as the Gunners began to exert some sustained pressure.

Yet just when Villa’s lead was suddenly looking a little vulnerable, they promptly struck twice in quick succession to put the result beyond doubt.

Watkins got both, first heading in from two yards out after Barkley had volleyed Luiz’s crossfield ball back across goal.

After Grealish had then seen an effort cleared off the line, the skipper bounded past Bellerin before to find Watkins who swept a first-time finish under Leno.

Arsenal (3-4-3): Leno, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Bellerin, Partey (Ceballos HT), Elneny, Saka, Willian (Pepe 65), Lacazette (Nketiah 65), Aubameyang Subs not used: Maitland-Niles, Luiz, Xhaka, Runarsson (gk).

Villa (4-3-3): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, McGinn, Luiz, Barkley, Trezeguet (El Ghazi 88), Watkins, Grealish Subs not used: Elmohamady, Taylor, Nakamba, Hourihane, Davis, Steer (gk).