Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal: Gunners player ratings as Mikel Arteta's men hold on to a narrow victory | Premier League 2021-22
Arsenal bounced back from their Premier League defeat to Liverpool in midweek to secure an important 1-0 win at Villa Park on Saturday.
The Gunners started the match without first-choice goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel Martinelli in the squad. The two players missed out due to a muscle injury and an illness, respectively.
The visitors started the game brilliantly and were soon rewarded with a goal, thanks to a well-taken shot from Bukayo Saka. Aston Villa had no response to Arsenal's dominance and were fortunate not to have conceded more.
Steven Gerrard's men emerged stronger after the break. With the home fans cheering them on, the players grew more and more confident as they searched for an equalizer.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta's side devoted all their resources towards defending. Despite some nervy and tense moments, the Gunners saw through the game and left Villa Park with a four-point cushion over fifth-placed Manchester United.
On that note, here is a look at how the Arsenal players performed.
Arsenal have won their last five away games in the Premier League - the first time they have won five on the bounce since May 2015.
Arsenal player ratings against Aston Villa
Bernd Leno - 6/10
Bernd Leno made Arsenal's Premier League starting XI for the first time since their 5-0 defeat to Manchester City in August 2021.
However, the German goalkeeper was poor in his distribution throughout the match, and his performance was overall underwhelming.
Based on this performance, Leno's days under Arteta might be numbered.
Cedric Soares - 6.5/10
Cedric Soares, who has now started seven games in a row in the absence of Takehiro Tomiyasu, produced a solid performance in the first 45 minutes. His pace allowed him to transition quickly from attack to defense.
However, after the break, his passing became less accurate. The Portuguese almost got himself into trouble by giving the ball away on multiple occasions.
Ben White - 7/10
Ben White made a crucial interception to deny Ollie Watkins in the 21st minute and ensure that his side did not concede the first goal.
The 24-year-old did not put a foot wrong throughout the match and has proven that he is worth every cent Arsenal spent signing him last summer.
Gabriel Magalhaes - 7.5/10
Gabriel Magalhaes was once again reliable when called into action. At the start of the second half, the Brazilian center-back headed away a brilliant cross from Jacob Ramsey to prevent the home side from equalizing.
The 24-year-old was unrivaled in the air and was almost always the first to get the ball.
Kieran Tierney - 6.5/10
Kieran Tierney was superb at the back and ensured his opponents had little chance of getting a shot on target.
However, when it comes to attacking, the Scot pales in comparison to other full-backs in the Premier League. His crosses were often delivered into the box aimlessly.
Granit Xhaka - 6/10
Granit Xhaka had relatively little defending to do during the match. Unfortunately, he recklessly earned himself a booking just before the break.
The Arsenal faithful would be glad that the Swiss midfielder kept his composure for the rest of the game as he helped his team secure a crucial victory.
Thomas Partey - 8/10
Thomas Partey was superb in helping his side retain possession of the ball. His ability to quickly get around his opponents and find an accurate through ball for his teammates is proving to be extremely valuable.
Arsenal need to keep him fit for the rest of the season to challenge for the top four.
Bukayo Saka - 8/10
Bukayo Saka was Arsenal's main attacking threat down the right flank. He combined well with Cedric Soares and Martin Odegaard to cause all sorts of trouble for Ashley Young.
The youngster put the visitors ahead in the 30th minute, and the goal ultimately proved to be the winner. Saka had a couple more chances to increase the Gunners' lead but could not find a way past Aston Villa's defenders.
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๐๐ถ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐. ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐.
Bukayo Saka bags our 2000th @PremierLeague goal! ๐ฅ https://t.co/S7soZ7OEIp
Martin Odegaard - 6.5/10
Martin Odegaard made his 50th appearance for Arsenal on Saturday. The Norwegian pressed hard and played a key role in helping his club defend against Aston Villa.
In terms of attacking, Odegaard was neat in possession and did his best to create chances for his teammates. Compared to previous games where he had more opportunities on the ball, he wasn't as effective against the Villans.
Emile Smith Rowe - 6/10
At the start of the game, Emile Smith Rowe had the golden opportunity to put Arsenal in front, but his shot failed to hit the target. He had a relatively quiet game at Villa Park, and nothing special came from the club's top goalscorer this season.
Alexandre Lacazette - 5/10
From misplaced passes to poor touches, Alexandre Lacazette's performance showed Mikel Arteta the importance of signing a striker in the summer transfer window.
Lacazette was simply not on the same page as the rest of his teammates and barely contributed to Arsenal's attack. If the Gunners want to challenge for the Premier League title in the near future, there is little reason to keep the Frenchman at the Emirates.
Substitutes
Nicolas Pepe - 5.5/10
Nicolas Pepe came on in the 70th minute for Bukayo Saka but had minimal impact on the game.
Eddie Nketiah - 5.5/10
The Englishman squandered a good chance to score Arsenal's second goal. Defensively, he tried his best to help his teammates.
Rob Holding - N/A
Rob Holding was introduced in the last few minutes of the match to bolster the Gunners' defensive line, and he did just that.