Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa: Match report & talking points from dramatic comeback draw

• Arsenal let two-goal lead disappear at home to Aston Villa
• William Saliba joins Bukayo Saka on the sidelines through injury
• Gunners fall further behind Premier League leaders Liverpool

Arsenal hopes of catching Premier League leaders Liverpool were hand emphatic blow on Saturday as they were held to a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa.

The Gunners were two goals ahead thanks to strikes from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz. But a quickfire double from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins turned the game on its head after the break and leaves Arsenal six points behind Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.

How the game unfolded

Martinelli caused a scare for the visitors early on with an acrobatic volley, as did a barrage of early Arsenal corners. It took a while for Villa to settle but David Raya was soon call on to deny a powerful Ian Maatsen shot from close range.

Arsenal did a good job of controlling possession in the first half, but their ongoing struggles with creating chances continued as Villa’s rigid back line comfortably repelled everything sent their way inside the first 30 minutes.

Ten minutes before the interval, Arsenal finally stepped things up.

Leandro Trossard’s vicious cross was poke towards goal by Martinelli. Who was allow to run off in celebration. When goal-line technology confirmed Emiliano Martinez’s desperate attempts to scramble the ball away had failed.

Trossard was the architect for เล่น UFABET ผ่านมือถือ สะดวกทุกที่ ทุกเวลา Arsenal’s second shortly after the break. After cooking Matty Cash. His excellent cross was met with a smart volley from Havertz. Which fizzed off Martinez and into the back of the net in the blink. Eye to give the Gunners some breathing room.

Villa fired their way back into the game shortly after. Lucas Digne’s delightful cross from deep was met by the onrushing Tielemans. Who head beyond Raya to reignite the match contest. The Belgian could have easily tied things up just seconds later. When his control strike struck the outside of the post.