EPL: Arsenal blow two goals lead, draw 2-2 with Aston Villa

EPL: Arsenal blow two goals lead, draw 2-2 with Aston Villa

 Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes suffered a major
setback as they blew a two-goal lead in a damaging 2-2 draw against Aston Villa
on Saturday.

 

Mikel Arteta’s side were on course to keep pace with leaders
Liverpool after goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz put them in
control at the Emirates Stadium.

 

But the Gunners collapsed midway through the second half as
Youri Tielemans’ first league goal this season handed Villa a lifeline before
Ollie Watkins bagged the equaliser.

 

Boyhood Arsenal fan Watkins was about to be replaced by Jhon
Duran before his 10th league goal this season put a huge dent in the north
Londoners’ hopes of catching Liverpool.

 

There was an agonising finale for Arsenal as Mikel Merino’s
late winner was disallowed for handball by Havertz.

 

Second-placed Arsenal are now six points behind Liverpool as
their bid for a first title since 2004 continues to splutter.

 

Darwin’s Nunez’s stoppage-time double for Liverpool sealed a
2-0 win at Brentford just half an hour before Arsenal kicked off, with groans
audible from the stands as the result reached fans at the Emirates.

 

And with Liverpool holding a game in hand on Arsenal, Arne
Slot’s men are firmly in control of the title race.

 

Arsenal’s 2-1 win against north London rivals Tottenham on
Wednesday had ended a damaging run of three games without a win in all
competitions.

 

That frustrating streak included the FA Cup exit against
10-man Manchester United and a League Cup semi-final first leg loss to
Newcastle.

 

There was a pre-match blow for Arsenal as French defender
William Saliba was ruled out with a “minor issue” and Villa eventually
exploited his absence.

 

Villa had ruined Arsenal’s title bid last term, beating them
twice in the league including a crucial 2-0 victory in north London in April.

 

– Emery haunts
Arsenal –

Despite partially avenging those losses with a win at Villa
earlier this season, Arsenal found themselves frustrated by their former boss
Unai Emery again.

 

Despite being penned deep inside their own half for most of
the opening 10 minutes, Villa should have taken the lead when Ian Maatsen’s
fierce strike from 12 yards forced a fine save from David Raya.

 

Arsenal’s pressure was rewarded in the 35th minute as
Leandro Trossard whipped a cross into the six-yard box and Martinelli got in
front of Maatsen to stab past Martinez, whose save couldn’t quite stop the ball
crossing the line before he clawed it out.

 

Havertz headed over from Martin Odegaard’s free-kick, but
the much-maligned German finally ended his recent struggles to double Arsenal’s
lead in the 55th minute.

 

Trossard cleverly shifted the ball away from Villa defender
Matty Cash and whipped a low cross towards Havertz, whose close-range finish
eluded Martinez’s weak attempted save.

 

The 25-year-old’s first goal in four games took him to 13 in
29 matches in all competitions this season, but he would still finish as the
villain.

 

Tielemans led Villa’s instant fightback, getting in front of
Merino to meet Lucas Digne’s cross with a diving header from six yards in the
60th minute.

 

Arsenal were rocking and Tielemans nearly equalised 90
seconds later with a snap-shot that smacked back off the post.

 

Martinelli volleyed wide from Gabriel’s lofted pass,
foreshadowing the pain to come for Arsenal in the 68th minute.

 

Cash’s cross arrowed into the Arsenal area and Havertz
couldn’t head clear, giving Watkins the chance to guide a clinical finish into
the roof of the net from close-range.

 

Merino briefly thought he had spared Arsenal’s blushes but
his strike from the edge of the area was disallowed for the clear contact with
Havertz’s arm.

 

In a thrilling finale, Merino hit the post before Martinez
made a superb save to repel Trossard’s effort from the rebound as Arteta held
his head in disbelief.

Source: EPL: Arsenal blow two goals lead, draw 2-2 with Aston Villa

 - NigerianEye

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