Aston Villa 1 Arsenal 0 - Report

The striker’s 10th Premier League goal of the season proved enough as Dean Smith’s team recorded their 11th clean sheet of the season.

Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez, playing against his former club, preserved the points with a smart second half stop to keep out Nicolas Pepe’s deflected effort.

But Gunners keeper Mat Ryan was the busier keeper, denying Bertrand Traore, Jack Grealish and Watkins.

Analysis

Arsenal finished the match having had two-thirds of possession but the fact Martinez was rarely tested spoke volumes of Villa’s controlled defensive effort, along with the visitors’ wayward finishing.

For the hosts this was the perfect response after the disappointment of Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat to West Ham, after which Smith had been critical of his team’s defending.

Watkins continued his fine streak by bagging the winner with a shot which deflected off Arsenal defender Rob Holding.

It was the £28million signing’s fourth goal in five matches, while he became the first Villa striker since Darren Bent in 2011 to net in three consecutive home matches.

Villa, who have equalled their points tally from last season after just 21 matches, moved up to eighth in the table with victory.

Perhaps more importantly they are now four points ahead of the Gunners, who they also beat 3-0 back in November, with two matches in hand.

Smith made two changes from the team beaten so disappointingly on Wednesday night.

It included a recall for Bertrand Traore in place of Anwar El Ghazi, while Marvelous Nakamba was handed just his third Premier League start of the season in midfield, with Douglas Luiz moving to the bench.

Arsenal handed a debut to Ryan in goal, the Brighton loanee replacing the suspended Bernd Leno following the latter’s red card in Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Wolves.

But the match had barely begun before the keeper was picking the ball out of the net. Traore pounced on a loose pass from Cedric Soares and raced past Gabriel before squaring a pass with the outside of his boot to Watkins. The striker’s shot was on target but helped by a big deflection off Holding which saw the ball roll inside the post and gave Ryan no chance.

The goal was the fastest Villa had scored in a Premier League match since Ashley Westwood netted after just 57 seconds against Hull in 2014.

Arsenal had plenty of possession as they looked for a way back into the game but found it hard to fashion chances with Villa able to snuff out any danger, Martinez racing off his line to collect the ball in front of Bukayo Saka at one point after Alexandre Lacazette had attempted to put the winger through with a dinked pass.

It wasn’t until almost the half-hour mark Martinez was called into any serious work, rising to turn a well struck Granit Xhaka free-kick over the bar.

Villa then nearly doubled their lead in sublime fashion, Traore turning brilliantly after collecting Barkley’s pass to go clean through. But Ryan spread himself and got a hand to the winger’s attempted dinked finish.

Saka was looking particularly lively and both Ezri Konsa and Nakamba were booked in quick succession for fouling the Arsenal man.

Villa reached the break with Martinez not tested again and then began the second half brightly.

A training ground corner routine created a chance for Barkley but the midfielder was unable to make a clean connection with a shot easily claimed by Ryan.

The keeper was more troubled by a Watkins strike soon after which he saved diving low to his right, before Barkley drilled an effort into the side netting following a Villa break.

Space was beginning to open up for both teams and after Pepe shot wide for the visitors, John McGinn became the latest to test Ryan with a shot the keeper again proved equal to.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta introduced Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang off the bench just prior to the hour mark and he headed wide from a Saka cross as the visitors began to put Villa under sustained pressure.

Martinez did brilliantly to deny Pepe an equaliser, saving with his legs after the forward’s shot had taken a wicked deflection off Konsa.

Villa weren’t offering much as an attacking force but nearly had a second when Watkins pounced on a loose pass and fed Grealish. The skipper drilled a powerful left-footed shot which Ryan saved diving to his left, the ball flying agonisingly close to Watkins as he followed in.

The striker let out another cry of frustration soon after when, after being fed by Greslish, he fired a left-footed effort narrowly wide of the post.

In what was becoming a repetitive theme, Ryan came to the Gunners rescue again when he saved from Watkins.

That came shortly after substitute Martin Odegaard had drilled over at the other end when well placed. It proved the Gunners last big chance as Villa saw out the win.

Key Moments

2- GOAL Ollie Watkins gives Villa the perfect start as his shot from Bertrand Traore’s cross deflects off Rob Holding and rolls in.

Teams

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, McGinn, Nakamba, Traore (Trezeguet 66), Barkley (Ramsey 77), Grealish, Watkins Subs not used: Luiz, Elmohamady, Engels, Sanson, El Ghazi, Davis, Heaton (gk).

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Ryan, Bellerin ©, Gabriel, Holding, Cedric (Odegaard 65), Partey (Willian 74), Xhaka, Saka, Smith Rowe, Pepe, Lacazette (Aubameyang 59) Subs not used: Ceballos, Chambers, Mari, Elneny, Martinelli, Runarsson (gk).