Matt Maher analysis: Aston Villa defeat will not dampen the optimism around Villa Park

For at least 65 minutes on Saturday, it was quite the opposite, as Unai Emery’s men had the better of it against an Arsenal team anointed by many as Premier League title favourites.

Goals from Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey might then have earned the visitors victory but across the opening two matches of the season, Villa’s performances have given you more reasons to be cheerful than not. That, essentially, appeared to be the crux of Emery’s post-match message.

The only reason to be pessimistic is if you truly believe Ollie Watkins will continue to squander the kind of chances he did against the Gunners. Watkins served up an early contender for miss of the season when he pulled a first-half finish wide of the post with the goal gaping and was then denied by a save-of-the-season contender from David Raya, though the sense was he should not have given the Arsenal goalkeeper any chance to make it.

That moment, which came when his team were well on top, was later identified by Emery as the game’s key turning point and, much like the manager’s assessment of the overall performance, it was hard to argue.