Aston Villa 2 Arsenal 4 - Report

Unai Emery’s side looked set to close out a draw until Jorginho’s shot hit the bar and went in off the head of goalkeeper Emi Martinez.

Gabriel Martinelli then sealed the win, scoring into an empty net after Martinez had gone forward for a last-gasp corner.

Villa twice led through Ollie Watkins and Philippe Coutinho but were pegged back by goals from Bukayo Saka and Oleksandr Zinchenko before the late drama.

Analysis

This had already been a terrific match before the remarkable epilogue - a blockbuster befitting the presence of Hollywood megastar and Villa fan Tom Hanks, watching on from the stands.

But while there were no shortage of positives for Villa and boss Unai Emery, ultimately there were no points as they slid to a third straight defeat and their second consecutive 4-2 loss at home.

Watkins scored for the fourth match in a row, while Coutinho netted for the first time this season, as the hosts went toe-to-toe with the title-chasers.

Substitutes Leon Bailey and Jhon Duran were also denied by Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in the closing stages, as Villa ended up on the wrong side of a game of inches.

That will be no consolation for Martinez, who was booked for time-wasting and then conceded in the most unfortunate fashion during the added period on another day to forget against his former club.

Emery responded to two consecutive defeats by making his most changes so far to a starting XI.

That included a first league start since October 10 for Coutinho, while a fit-again Tyrone Mings returned to central defence.

Both full-backs were changed, with Matty Cash and Alex Moreno replacing Ashley Young and Lucas Digne. There was also a return for skipper John McGinn. Jacob Ramsey, Bailey and Calum Chambers were the other players dropping to the bench.

The recalled Cash had a huge hand in Villa’s opener, pouncing on Zinchenko as he looked to venture down the left, winning the ball and lofting a pass over the top for Watkins to chase. There was still plenty for the striker to do but he made it look easy, making space by turning to his left and then driving a low finish beyond Ramsdale and into the far corner. Emery celebrated and so did Hanks.

Watkins was full of energy and his harrying almost earned a second when Ramsdale dallied in his six-yard box, the ball deflecting off the Villa man’s leg and out to the wing.

But Arsenal responded well to the goal and on 16 minutes drew level. Mings should have headed Ben White’s cross behind but instead nodded it straight to Saka, who smacked a left-footed half volley beyond a motionless Martinez.

Yet it was Villa who scored the next goal to wrestle back momentum. Having come a cropper playing it out from the back in their last home match with Leicester, here was an example of what can happen when the tactic works as a move which began with Martinez passing to Mings, ended with Coutinho firing home right-footed after Emi Buendia had dummied Moreno’s cross.

Arsenal were starting to get frustrated and Saka and Luiz were booked for a shoving match in first half stoppage time.

The former shot over early in the second half as the Gunners looked for a leveller and with Villa pushed deeper, Luiz blocked bravely from Granit Xhaka.

Villa were left breathing a sigh of relief when Eddie Nketiah then sent a header from a White cross off the top of the bar.

They did not escape the next time. Coutinho went out to cover a short corner but instead of the Odegaard’s pass going to Saka, it went to an unmarked Zinchenko on the edge of the box who drove home left-footed.

A minute later the Gunners should have been ahead. Odegaard sent Nketiah through but a combination of Konsa and Martinez did enough to send him wide and the shot over the bar.

With 13 minutes remaining, Odegaard was guilty of missing an even better chance. Nketiah pounced to win the ball off Konsa and squared it for his captain, who side-footed wide from 12 yards out.

Emery had made all five substitutions at that point and Villa were not sitting back. Bailey came close to putting them in front for a third time when he brilliantly kept the ball in play and charged toward goal, before hitting a powerful right-footed shot which Ramsdale palmed onto the underside of the bar. Almost immediately play moved to the other end, where Gabriel headed over.

Villa had the first big chance of stoppage time, Duran racing clear and sending a curling shot too close to Ramsdale.

Then came the sickener for Villa as Jorginho hit a first time effort from the edge of the box and the ball hit the bar and rebounded of Martinez’s head and into the net. Martinelli’s goal, into an empty net after the goalkeeper had gone up for a corner, rubbed more salt into the wound.

Key Moments

5 GOAL Villa race into an early lead. Matty Cash robs Oleksandr Zinchenko and lofts a ball over the top for Watkins, who makes the space to send a low, left-footed finish beyond Aaron Ramsdale.

16 GOAL Arsenal level. Tyrone Mings heads Ben White’s cross back into the danger area and Bukayo Saka hits a first time volley high into the net.

31 GOAL Villa back in front. Philippe Coutinho finishes off a lovely team move, firing home Alex Moreno’s low cross.

61 GOAL Arsenal level again. A short corner routine catches out Villa as Zinchenko drives home from the edge of the box.

90+3 GOAL Arsenal win it. Jorginho’s shot hits the bar and bounces back off the head of the unlucky Martinez and into the net.

90+8 GOAL With Martinez up for a corner, Arsenal break and Gabriel Martinelli taps into an empty net.

Teams

Villa (4-4-2): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Moreno, McGinn, Kamara, Luiz (Dendoncker 67), Buendia (Bailey 67), Coutinho (Ramsey 62), Watkins (Duran 78) Subs not used: Traore, Chambers, Young, Duran, Digne, Bailey, Dendoncker, Ramsey, Sinisalo (gk).

Arsenal (4-3-3): Ramsdale, White (Vieira 79), Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko (Tierney 90+5), Odegaard, Jorginho, Xhaka (Tomiyasu 79), Saka, Nketiah, Trossard (Martinelli 68) Subs not used: Tierney, Smith Rowe, Kiwior, Holding, Nelson, Turner (gk).